Research has shown that the health of people with dementia who spent as little as 10 to 15 minutes of activity a day outside improved significantly<\/a>. While the benefits of getting outdoors are clear, taking a person with dementia out can be challenging. In some cases, it can cause them agitation or confusion. In addition, outings can be difficult and stressful for the caregiver, particularly if the person with dementia experiences\u00a0wandering\u00a0<\/strong>behaviour<\/a>, as this can be harder to control outdoors.<\/p>\n
The following tips may be beneficial if you are planning an outing for someone in your care who is living with dementia.<\/p>\n
Planning is key when you are considering taking someone living with dementia on an outing. It\u2019s important to consider a number of things well in advance, such as the trip duration, timing of the activity and how you are going to travel to and from your destination. When considering these things, think about the person in your care and their routine. For example, it may suit them better to be out at a specific time of day or certain types of transport may be more appropriate for them than others. In addition, think about whether you may need the support of another care provider for the outing so that you can ask them to accompany you.<\/p>\n
When you are preparing your outing, it may be necessary to contact someone who works in the location that you are visiting. It may be necessary to let them know about any special requirements or accommodations that may be required for the person in your care. In addition, talk to any friends and family members that will also be on the outing to help prepare them for what they should or should not say or do. When it comes to the person in your care, consider whether or not to tell them in advance about the outing. Some elderly people living with dementia may become anxious or irritable when they know that the event is approaching, while others will cope better if they know what is happening well in advance.<\/p>\n
When you are going on an outing with someone living with dementia, it\u2019s important to include things that they are familiar with from their normal daily routine. For example, if the person in your care normally goes for a walk after a meal, make sure you have planned for enough time to take them for a walk after eating out. Or, if they always eat their meals at a certain time, be sure to stick to that schedule.<\/p>\n
Seniors living with dementia may become easily agitated, so comfortable clothing is advised. Wearing comfortable clothes and walking shoes for an outing will not only to reduce the likelihood of the person in your care becoming agitated, but also reduce the risk of them tripping and falling in surroundings that are unfamiliar to them.<\/p>\n
Ensure you have packed a bag to take with you that is stocked with water, snacks, medications, medical information, and a set of extra clothing. It\u2019s also important to include any personal items that the person in your care may find comforting such as their favourite belongings from home.<\/p>\n
If you prepare properly, an outing with the person in your care will be an enjoyable experience for both of you. It can be an excellent way to break up the monotony of the daily routine. For more information on this article, don\u2019t hesitate to get in touch with Brain Sparks. If you\u2019re caring for someone with Dementia, you may find the\u00a0Dementia Live\u00ae<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0course beneficial. The course gives you the opportunity to experience what it is like to have Dementia, in order to gain a greater understanding of how the person in your care is feeling and why they may act in a certain way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For a person living with Dementia, getting out of the house and into a public place is important for their quality of life. Going outdoors gives us exposure to Vitamin D, which is vital for building strong bones and muscles. Being out in the daylight is also effective in regulating the body clock, which can […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainsparks.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}