Tips to Support Your Loved Ones Who Are Suffering From Dementia

According to the world Alzheimer report; by 2020 around 10 million Indians above age of 65 would suffer from dementia. Dementia refers to a condition of decline in mental ability to severe enough to lead a healthy day to day life.  Possibly many amongst us are already taking care of someone who is suffering with dementia.  According to Psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo taking care of loved ones suffering from dementia is a full-time job and remembering the following tips can make the caretaker’s job less stressful.

1. Don’t allow yourself get emotionally hurt if the patient talks or behaves with you badly, remember your loved one is not changing but it’s the disease, which is progressing.

2. Don’t push the patient to change their behaviour and attitude towards you like they had once before the disease. Even though it's painful to see the negative changes in personality of loved ones but it’s not possible to gain back old personality once the brain functioning starts declining, so try to love the patient as they are right now.

3. Try to use every creative and caring method to reach out to your loved ones, suffering from Dementia. Use songs, poetry, spiritual texts, prayers or even simple touch on their hand can help you communicate with them.

4. Give the patient some independence if it’s possible. Try not to do everything for the patient, it is important that you encourage them to do as many things as possible by themselves, you can also innovate some simple activities for them that they can do themselves.