Helping the Alzheimer's Patient with Self-care

Submitted by administrator on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 2:16pm

Memory Care Temple Texas

Often, one of the most difficult aspects of caregiving is trying to convince a loved one suffering Dementia or Alzheimer's to participate in daily routine. Hygiene and mealtime related activies can become daily battles. It is crucial to utilize kindness and understanding while interacting with a person coping with failing memory. Often, there may be underlying fear or confusion that makes simple tasks frightening or difficult.
 
I still don’t know exactly why Alzheimer’s patients are so afraid of taking a shower, but I’ve seen it to be true with most of them. Many of the residents in the Group Home where mom eventually stayed were only brought to the shower after much encouraging and coaxing. I do think it’s some kind of  fear. Possibly, a fear of the water, the bathroom fixtures, the temperature settings. 
They do forget how to adjust the water temperature and I’ve often wondered if they’ve suffered a burn during that process.  Whatever the reason, you can read the fear in their eyes when you mention a shower.  Mom was terrified of the shower and if I left her to do it herself, she would disappear in the bathroom for long minutes, but exit without a drop of moisture in her hair.
 
It can be very effective, albeit somewhat manipulative, to coax daily routine and fuction with white lies. If it salvages relationship health between a caregiver and the person recieiving their care, perhaps it is worth it. If it can be as effective, then perhaps it is worth examining caregiving methods from a different angle if they are not working presently. Maybe sugar coating isn't so bad.

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