Dementia Care in Pikesville: Tips from the Pros

There are close to 50 million people worldwide who are living with dementia, according to the World Health Organization. Furthermore, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60–70% of cases. Family caregivers have a particularly tough job when it comes to looking after a loved one with dementia. Adults with dementia are prone to mood swings and changes in personality which make caregiving difficult. Visiting Angels^® of Pikesville is an experienced provider of dementia care for families in Pikesville, as well as Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Mount Washington, Glyndon, Finksburg, and the Baltimore neighborhoods of Woodberry, Hampden, Remington, Mount Vernon, Inner Harbor, Station North, Mid-Town Belvedere, Heritage Crossing, and the surrounding communities. We can provide dementia care to keep seniors throughout the Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Carroll County safe and comfortable at home.

Communicating with Your Loved One

As an experienced provider of dementia care for countless seniors throughout Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Carroll County, Visiting Angels of Pikesville knows communicating with a loved one who has been diagnosed with dementia can be challenging. Cognitive decline and memory loss, especially surrounding recent events, can make communication difficult. Learning how to communicate effectively with your loved one can make caregiving easier. 

Some tips for successfully communicating include:

• Break down activities into a series of steps with visual cues
• Talk about memories and events from your loved one's past
• Limit noise and distractions such as radio or television
• Use humor to share a laugh with your loved one
• Use your family member's name to get their attention
• Focus on your loved one's feelings and offer reassurance
• Identify yourself by name and relation to your loved one
• Distract and redirect if your loved one becomes agitated
• Ask questions with simple yes or no answers

Wandering Prevention and Safety

One of the top concerns of caring for a loved one with dementia involves keeping them safe at home. Wandering is a problem for many seniors who live with memory related illness. Visiting Angels of Pikesville can offer some dementia care tips to help prevent wandering for Pikesville area seniors:

• Consider installing a home monitoring or alarm system 
• Regular exercise can help your loved one avoid restlessness
• Give neighbors a heads up about your loved one's situation
• Use a barrier such as a curtain or a stop sign over the door
• Sew ID labels and contact info into your loved one's clothing
• Place plastic child safety locks on door handles
• Give your loved one a watch with GPS tracking ability
• Keep your loved one's wallet, coat, and essentials put away

If you have a loved one in the Pikesville, Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Glyndon, Mt. Washington, Finksburg or Baltimore City area who is living with dementia, call Visiting Angels of Pikesville at 410.218.9506 and learn how our dementia care can help.