How to Care for Alzheimer's Patients at Home

Hearing the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is a frightening experience for the patient and their family. The fact is that 50 to 70% of cases thought to be dementia are due to Alzheimer's disease. There is no known cure, and Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal disease. Decisions will need to be made by the patient and their family as far as patient care is concerned. Some families find it best to care for their loved one at home. With insight and support, it is possible to keep your family member safely at home.

Instructions

• 1

  Research the ins and outs of Alzheimer's disease. Spend time getting to know the symptoms and the prognosis of a patient with Alzheimer's. Be sure to ask the patient's health-care provider lots of questions. Also, make sure the patient's health-care provider is open and honest with you, the caregiver. Ask questions about how you can best care for your loved one and ask what to expect while caring for this person.

• 2

  Structure and schedule every single day for the Alzheimer's patient. It is extremely beneficial to the patient to do their daily tasks around the same time every day. These tasks include bathing, dressing, brushing teeth, brushing hair and eating meals. Be consistent and discuss the routine with them.

• 3

  Encourage your loved one to participate in different activities. Have them sing to you, assist with light housework, feed the dog, help you with a task or do anything that will stimulate and entertain them. It is important for the Alzheimer's patient to be loved and needed by their family.

• 4

  Find some sort of support for yourself. For some caregivers, this may include joining a public support group. For others, it may be that friends and family meet this need. Caring for an Alzheimer's patient is difficult in every way. It is physically and emotionally draining. It is vital to take care of yourself so that you can care for your loved one.

• 5

  Install safety equipment and hardware when the patient begins showing signs of instability. Simple child-proofing products should work fine. It becomes necessary to protect Alzheimer's patients in the event they leave the stove burner on or try to leave the home in the middle of the night.

• 6

  Ask for help from others when the time comes that the patient can't be left alone at all. Ask other family members or friends for help or hire a home health caregiver. The Alzheimer's patient's health-care provider can help you make a decision when the time comes to look for outside help.