One of the most difficult things for caregivers at this early stage is to know how much assistance to give the person, and when to encourage independence. The caregiving role at this stage involves assisting with everyday tasks to help the person with dementia develop new coping strategies that will encourage their independence.<\/p>\n
To determine the most appropriate level of support and care for someone living in the early stage of dementia, consider the following:<\/p>\n
The early stages of dementia are different for everyone; however, it is common for a person in this stage to require cues and reminders to assist their memory<\/a>. For example, the person in your care may need assistance with:<\/p>\n
Communicate with the person about where they require the most help. Focus on their strengths and assist them so that they can keep doing things independently as much as possible. For example, if they are still able to organise their finances, instead of doing them on their behalf, offer to review them once they have been completed.<\/p>\n
Supporting a person living with dementia often includes more than helping with practical tasks. Providing dementia care can often involve being there for the person emotionally<\/a>. The person\u2019s emotions will likely be impacted by how their diagnosis will affect their life, and anticipating the challenges they will face in the future. It\u2019s important to recognise their emotions so that you can help them cope with their feelings and move forward to live a satisfying life. <\/p>\n
There are a number of things that caregivers can do to help the person in their care to work through their emotions, such as:<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re caring for someone with Alzheimer\u2019s disease, Brain Sparks\u2019\u00a0Dementia Live\u00ae<\/a>\u00a0course may be of benefit to you. The course immerses carers in the experience of living with dementia to give them powerful insights for effectively communicating with those in their care. Get in touch with us to find out more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"