If a parent, spouse or other family member was recently diagnosed with dementia, you and your family are probably grappling with a lot of intense feelings. The emotional impact of a dementia diagnosis, paired with the vast amount of information out there might leave you feeling overwhelmed, confused and wondering “What’s the next step?”
Seeing potential signs of dementia in your spouse? The first thing you should do is see your primary care physician. Because they know your spouse and their medical history well, your family doctor should be able to quickly notice behaviors or symptoms that are out of the ordinary.
One of the simplest yet most important things to remember in dementia caregiving is that routine is critical. When their day is unstructured, it can feel unpredictable and therefore unsafe for someone with dementia. Routine can provide this needed structure, for both the individual with dementia and the caregiver.
Individuals living with dementia often experience apathy. When someone’s become apathetic, they no longer show interest, enthusiasm or concern about their life. They may not notice or show any reaction to what’s going on around them. This is caused by damage to the frontal lobes of the brain – the area that controls motivation and the ability to plan or sequence actions.
While there’s no cure for dementia, there are things you can do to make your loved one as happy and comfortable as possible. Despite their diagnosis, they still have time left, maybe many years, so you should do everything you can to help them live well.
A lot of people think that dementia and Alzheimer’s are synonymous, but Alzheimer’s is just one condition that can cause dementia. Dementia is a descriptive term that covers impaired memory and the loss of other cognitive abilities.
Whether it’s painting, making music, or arts and crafts, creativity can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression and improve cognitive health. Participating in creative activities, or even just enjoying a performance can help individuals with dementia to be more present and engaged – and can even trigger long-forgotten memories.
Sometimes, a person has always been forceful or aggressive and they’re simply continuing this behavior, but that’s often not the case. So when someone you’ve known for years to be a kind and gentle person suddenly becomes mean or violent, it can be a huge emotional shock.