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Coping Skills for Patients With Alzheimers

Alzheimer's disease is a mental condition and form of dementia that affects more than 5 million Americans. Its negative effect on cognitive function, behavior and social functioning makes it a devastating prognosis, but those with Alzheimer's can keep hope by incorporating coping strategies into their everyday lives.

  1. Journaling

    • Keep a daily diary. This will help you to express and work through any emotions or thoughts you have about having Alzheimer's disease. For instance, you might write about your worries about having family members be responsible for you, or about how good you feel when you have a day of less-severe symptoms. Keeping a diary also will help you to remember particular events, such as a child's birthday party or what happened at work on a certain day.

    Health

    • Do everything you can to stay in good health. This includes getting plenty of rest, exercise and a balanced diet. Put simply, the body works best when it is not fatigued and has enough fuel to carry out physical processes. By taking care of yourself, you increase the odds that your body will be in better shape to combat Alzheimer's symptoms. This is because rest, exercise, and diet greatly affect how the brain is able to function and communicate with the rest of the body. Diets lower in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables and grains have been linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's development.

    Activities

    • Continue to participate in activities you enjoy or for which you are responsible. The repetition of the activities may decrease your forgetfulness related to those activities. They also can provide a sense of normalcy because of their familiarity, and they can take your mind off the progression of the disease.

    Organization

    • Put your things in order. The more cluttered your surroundings are, the less likely it is that you will remember what you did with an item. Assign each item its place and put the item in its place every time; repetition in the organization may help to reduce forgetfulness so that you can continue to function independently.

    Communication

    • Talk to other people about the disease and anything else you want to discuss. You can find a support group for Alzheimer's patients, or you can talk to a family member, friend or professional. Like journaling, this coping technique helps you to get emotions out and into the open, making it easier for others to help you and for you to feel less isolated. Talking with others can also help you remember things, because those who communicate with you can serve as sources of information.

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