Dementia Care in Corona

How To Answer When Your Family Member Wants To Go Home

When a loved one with dementia says, "I want to go home, how do you respond? For family members who are responsible for dementia care, it's easy to feel at a loss for words. That's particularly true when your loved one is already at home. For these and other tricky situations, our agency in Corona can help you understand what steps to take. 

Here are three tips from Visiting Angels^® in Riverside County.

What Should You Do? 3 Tips For Responding To Your Loved One

When it comes to dementia care, it's easy to feel wrong-footed and uncertain about how to respond to a family member. It's important to remember that your loved one is dealing with mental confusion and reduced verbal communication levels. For families in Corona, here's what we recommend: 

• Acknowledge their request. When your loved one asks to go home, they're trying to communicate genuine distress or anxiety. You don't want to dismiss them, ignore them, or try to explain that they're already home. When they're already feeling uneasy or agitated, these sorts of reactions can contribute to further negative emotions. Acknowledge them, validate their feelings, and maybe even tell them that you'll take them home soon.   
• Find ways to redirect them. Once you've offered some reassurance and acknowledgement, it's a good idea to gently steer your loved one's attention in another direction. Start small, maybe offering to make them a favorite snack or hot drink before you take them home. Then, gradually divert them to a comforting task that absorbs their attention. You'll know what works best to make them happy here. 
• Try to track when they ask to go home. Sometimes, it's helpful to try to find underlying contributors when your loved one says they want to go home. Maybe they make this request when they're hungry or in pain. Maybe they're time-shifting to a younger self. Maybe they're experiencing symptoms of sundowning. Learning what's at the root of these requests can help you support your loved one with greater clarity. 

Dementia Care in Corona For Individuals and Families 

At Visiting Angels in Riverside County, we offer dementia care for individuals living alone as well as those seniors who live with family. We work with you and your family to ensure your loved one is getting quality and compassionate support, no matter where they are, including: 

• Corona
• Fontana
• Jurupa Valley
• Riverside CA
• And throughout the surrounding area

Schedule dementia care for your loved one today. Family caregivers in Corona can contact Visiting Angels in Riverside County to speak to our care team.