For many older people who have been diagnosed with dementia, being able to stay in their own home is incredibly important to them and they wish to stay here for as long as they possibly can. Unfortunately, the symptoms of dementia can make it very difficult for elderly people to live independently and it isn’t uncommon for family members to spend a lot of time worrying about their loved ones who are adamant about not going into assisted living or a care home. 

 

In order to support their loved one living with dementia, many will take on the role of a family caregiver and spend a lot of time helping them. Understandably, if you’re not a professional carer, then you may not even know where to start when it comes to taking care of a person with dementia. Thankfully, there are a few simple things that you can do to help both your loved one and yourself during this difficult time, and to assist anyone who is currently caring for someone with dementia, below are some helpful tips. 

 

Take some time to future proof the house

 

One thing that is beneficial to do after a dementia diagnosis is to make some small changes around your loved one’s home to future proof it. Taking the time to prepare their house now will make things much easier as your loved one moves through the stages of dementia. 

 

You shouldn’t make any major changes overnight, this can be upsetting for someone with dementia, but some simple things can help people with dementia to continue living independently at home. The NHS has written more about this, so be sure to read their guide.  

 

Stick to a daily routine

 

It isn’t uncommon for people in the early stages of dementia to be able to enjoy life the same way they were before their diagnosis, but over time their symptoms will get worse. Thankfully, daily structure and routine can help to prevent behaviour such as aggression and agitation.

 

Helping your loved one to establish a clear daily routine or encouraging them to stick to the one they already have, even in the early stages, can go on to be really helpful for both of you. Simple things such as eating at the same times every day will provide some sort of structure. 

 

Consider hiring a professional carer 

 

There is no denying that caring for someone with dementia can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’re trying to juggle a number of other things at the same time. In order to enable you to stay on track with your own life, you may want to consider finding a specialist dementia carer who can provide you with support. 

 

Even if this is just some respite care every now and then, it is undeniably worthwhile looking into further and you will likely be surprised just how much of a difference this can make. 

 

Assist with mundane daily tasks 

 

It goes without saying that you will want to be as helpful as you possibly can when caring for someone after their diagnosis of dementia, but it can all be too much sometimes. Your loved one may think they don’t really need your help, so you may need to take a little step back. 

 

Start by helping with mundane tasks such as doing the washing up, this may be less intrusive for your loved one. It is important to try and take things at their pace and ensure they’re comfortable with how/when you’re helping, this will help to prevent upset and disagreements. 

 

Getting help caring for dementia patients at home

 

Hopefully, the information above will be beneficial to you if a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia and they’re continuing to live at home. Taking these tips on board can help to make day-to-day life easier for you as a family caregiver and it can also make things easier for your loved one too. Of course, remember, you aren’t alone and there are a number of resources and support groups out there, so never be afraid to reach out if you need to. 

 

If you’d like to go ahead and hire a professional carer, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Companions of London. We are incredibly passionate about helping people with dementia live comfortably in the familiar surroundings of their own homes and we will gladly help you to find highly skilled and fully qualified carers no matter what your needs may be in this regard. As a home care provider, you really can rely on us to introduce you to specialist carers who are experienced in helping care for dementia patients at home.