Caring for Someone with Dementia (Essay Sample)

Caring for Someone with Dementia
Name
Institution
Caring for Someone with Dementia
Introduction
Dementia is a condition that entails the gradual erosion of a person’s mental abilities such as memory, communication, visual perception and paying attention. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (Elis, 2013). People with dementia are susceptible to depression upon the realization of the effect of their condition on their normal functioning. Such situations require a well-prepared caregiver who can manage them without getting frustrated.
The Things that a Caregiver Should Know about Patients with Dementia
The symptoms of dementia vary between patients. Caregivers should know that patients with dementia tend to have difficulties with construction of sentences depending on the severity of the condition. In such cases, it is not good to act impatient if the patient seems to be taking too long to recall something. It is also discouraging to the patient when the caregivers insist on finishing their sentences for them. From a dementia patient’s point of view, finishing sentences for them, and exhibiting negative body language makes them feel like a burden. They also tend to lose their sense of self-worth, a quality that should be preserved to slow down the development of the condition.
Caregivers should also know that counteracting sounds hinder the effectiveness of their communication with the dementia patient. Other sounds in the background make it more difficult for a dementia patient to capture words directed to them (Australia, 2012). According to My Aged Care (2014), dementia patients tend to have wandering thoughts and moods, hallucinations and false ideas (My Aged Care, 2014). Besides that, they tend to experience states of agitation and depression, all of which should be handled carefully. They also tend to have less inhibition and an impatient and irritable caregiver is not advisable. Depending on the patient, coordination and mobility may be a problem. Arranging the furniture in a non-cluttered manner helps the patient move more easily and prevents the occurrence of accidents.
Effective Interventions to the Issues Experienced with Dementia Patients
Caregivers should be aware that the people with dementia tend to retreat to the past because they have little control of the present. It is common for them to slip in and out of the present. The validation therapy whereby the caregiver and other people around the patient agree with them is helpful in maintaining their stability and confidence. Music therapy is also effective in addressing some complex behaviors exhibited by the people with dementia. A specific musical piece can unlock memories or bring forth certain feelings. It is, therefore, important to know the patient’s favorite music (Australia, 2012).
For instance, a person with difficulty in communicating, the caregiver should focus on exhibiting a caring attitude and watching their body language because it consists of 55% of our communication (Australia, 2012). Among the things to avoid when communicating with a person with dementia include negative body language, the use of complicated words and sentence structures. The use of a condescending tone when addressing them, ordering them around and arguing before them only makes the situation worse. Still, talking to them when there are other competing noises such as the television only makes it harder for them to grasp what the caregiver is saying (Australia, 2012).
In cases where a patient cannot manage simple tasks such as bathing, caregivers should ensure they are tactful in the way they handle the patient without hurting their dignity. Deep bath water and overhead showers tend to increase the anxiety of dementia patients. Shallow baths and handheld showers are recommended (Alzheimer's Society, 2014).
The caregiver should also take care of themselves in the presence of dementia patients, especially because they tend to become oft...