Caring for loved ones with dementia can be a long and challenging road. However, with the right support and processes in place, it can also be rewarding. Being able to look after someone in familiar surroundings can offer reassurance in the face of increasing memory loss and the convenience of having all their things around them, close to hand. Facilitating a supportive home environment can make care arrangements work well within the community, as opposed to entering residential care.
However, there are certain things that need to be considered to make the experience as straightforward as possible. One of those is paying attention to the routines that are put in place. These should encompass the main elements of healthcare and social wellbeing support while simplifying daily tasks and encouraging self-care activities wherever possible. They should also have an element of flexibility built into them.
Dementia can bring about cognitive and behavioural changes in people that affect their needs, emotions and expectations – sometimes with little to no notice. So, the systems that are in place around the person and those caring for them must have room to reflect this. While residential settings and hospitals can accommodate changes easily enough, it can be harder for family members and home carers to replicate this in a domestic environment.
Establish a Daily Routine
One huge advantage to caring for loved ones with dementia at home is the ability to create customised care routines that suit the person and those who care for them. Home based dementia care should begin with establishing personalised daily schedule. These should cover activities and tasks like getting up in the morning, personal grooming and dressing, mealtimes, medication, therapies, appointments., household chores and entertainment. Try not to cram too many activities into one single time slot. Keep things simple and as relaxed as possible. Watch out, however, for signs that the person might be getting bored by not having enough to do.
Write out a timetable for the home care team to follow – even if the person with dementia is no longer able to use a clock or understand what is supposed to happen when. Aim to keep to roughly the same times each day, especially for waking up, bathing, eating meals and going to bed. This can also help when you need to factor in external appointments or spontaneous visitors. Any upset caused by a change in routine can be mitigated against by a swift return to timings they have come to expect.
Personalised Planning
When making the plan, try to consider the person’s likes, dislikes and preferences as far as possible. For example, whether they like to get up early or later in the morning, what they like to eat for breakfast and other meals and how they used to enjoy spending their day. Sticking to familiar routines like this can often help people with dementia feel calmer and relate more to what they are supposed to be doing at any given moment.
Leave plenty of time between each scheduled activity in case of any emergencies or confusion about what is going on. Trying to rush someone who is confused about what is happening could lead to unnecessary fear and distress. Aim to involve the person in planning their routine as much as you can. Things that can help with this include using simple language and providing extra support when offering choices and decision-making.
Ideas for Activities and Support
There are all sorts of Alzheimer’s care strategies online to help inform a choice of activities and routines. From gentle exercise programmes to memory games and puzzles, it is important to keep people active and stimulated as much as possible to help them exercise their brain and enjoy a decent quality of life to the best of their ability. Always intersperse livelier activities with rest periods and therapeutic endeavours so that the person’s health and recuperation needs can be met alongside their emotional, social and behavioural ones.
The best adaptable care plans for people living at home with dementia make room for lots of different activities, from exercise to crafts; music to self-care. The secret is ensuring that whatever you plan can be moved around and adjusted to take into account changes in health, mood and external circumstances. That prevents people from becoming overstimulated and upset – and helps carers fit everything in without running out of energy or time.
