Dementia Care in Decatur: Tips from the Pros

Dementia is a degenerative disorder which affects around 47 million people across the globe, according to the World Health Organization. The evolving nature of the disorder can make caring for someone with dementia a challenge. Adults with dementia often have a hard time communicating. They may also be prone to mood swings and display changes in personality. Visiting Angels^® Atlanta GA is an experienced provider of dementia care. We assist families in Decatur, Vinings, Atlanta, Buckhead, and the surrounding communities. We can provide monitoring and support to help keep your loved one safe and comfortable at home.

Communicating with Your Loved One

Strong communication is an important part of any relationship. Learning how to communicate with a loved one who has dementia will help improve your relationship and make it easier to provide care to your loved one. 

Some communication tips from the dementia care professionals in Decatur include:

• Use your loved one's name to gain their attention
• Identify yourself and your relationship to your loved one
• Limit the amount of noise and distraction in the room
• Use humor to share a laugh with your loved one
• Ask questions with yes or no answers and limit choices
• Talk about shared memories or events from the past
• Focus on the feelings involved and offer reassurance
• Turn activities into a series of steps with visual cues
• Distract and redirect if your loved one gets agitated
• Services may be customized to meet the needs of the individual 

Wandering Prevention and Safety

Safety is a high priority for families of dementia sufferers. Among the top safety concerns is wandering prevention. Seniors who live with memory-related illness are often prone to wandering due to confusion or stress. As an experienced provider of dementia care throughout Decatur, Visiting Angels Atlanta offers the following tips to help prevent wandering:

• Consider installing an alarm or home monitoring system
• Get your family member a watch with GPS tracking
• Provide regular exercise to help avoid restlessness
• Give neighbors a heads-up and share your phone number
• Use a curtain or stop sign as a barrier to the doorway
• Sew identification labels into your loved one's clothing
• Use plastic child safety locks on door knobs
• Keep your loved one's coat and purse out of sight

If you have a loved one in the Decatur area who is in need of experienced dementia care at home, call Visiting Angels Atlanta at (404) 358-5877 and schedule a free consultation.