Dementia Care in Bryn Mawr: Tips from the Pros

According to the World Health Organization, there are nearly 50 million people worldwide who are living with dementia. Many of the individuals who have been diagnosed with dementia are being cared for by loved ones at home. Caring for family members who have dementia is particularly challenging because of the progressive nature of the disease. Visiting Angels^® Havertown PA is an experienced provider of dementia care services. We work with families throughout Bryn Mawr, Gladwyne, Haverford, Villanova, and the surrounding communities. Dementia care professionals from our agency can help Bryn Mawr area seniors by providing monitoring and support at home.

Communicating with Your Loved One

As an experienced provider of dementia care in the Bryn Mawr area, Visiting Angels Havertown knows communicating with someone who has dementia can be difficult due to cognitive decline and memory loss. Knowing how to effectively communicate with your loved one can make caregiving easier and better equip you to handle challenging care situations. 

Some tips from the dementia care professionals in Bryn Mawr include:

• Use your loved one's name to get their attention
• Ask simple questions with yes or no answers
• Distract and redirect if your loved one becomes agitated
• Talk about shared events or memories from the past
• Limit distractions and noise such as television or radio
• Identify yourself by name and relationship to your loved one
• Turn activities into a series of steps including visual cues
• Focus on your loved one's feelings more than their words
• Offer reassurance and affection when needed
• Use humor to share a laugh (not at your loved one's expense)

Wandering Prevention and Safety

For those living with dementia, wandering prevention and safety are a top concern for their loved ones. Visiting Angels Havertown has some dementia care tips to help keep Bryn Mawr area seniors safe:

• Engage your loved one in regular exercise to prevent restlessness
• Try using child-safe plastic covers over door knobs and handles
• Get your loved one a watch with GPS tracking capability
• Sew ID labels with contact info into your loved one's clothes
• Try a barrier such as a curtain to hide exit doors
• Install a home monitoring system that beeps when a door is opened
• Keep your loved one's essentials such as keys and coat put away
• Give neighbors a heads up regarding wandering behaviors

If you have a loved one who is in need of dementia care in the Bryn Mawr area, call Visiting Angels Havertown today.