INDUSTRY INSIGHT
HOSPICE CARE
SPONSORED CONTENT
A Glimpse into
Caregiving for
a Loved One
with Dementia
D
o you have a loved one with dementia? Are you sad, mad,
frustrated, tired and wondering why this is happening to
you and your loved one? What did anyone do to deserve
this? These feelings are all normal and unfortunately you
are not alone. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are
675,000 caregivers of people with dementia in Pennsylvania.
Caring for a loved one who has dementia can become extremely
difficult. Dementia treats everyone different and doesn’t act the same
in any person. Sometimes you may experience “behaviors” from your
loved one. Behaviors are a form of communication. No matter how
frustrating it is, it is important to understand that he/she is trying to
tell you something. If you can start to think of behaviors as an unmet
need, it is easier to understand. It could be that your loved one is
hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, in pain, or may just be bored. Sometimes
it could be nothing except his/her brain just getting stuck on
something. It could be an unlimited number of needs and sometimes
we have to act as investigators to find out what it is.
There are some things we can do to help when communicating
with our loved ones:
• Call them by their name (or if they have a nickname they’ve
been called all their life, then use that).
• Tell them who you are using a calm, gentle voice.
• Use short, simple sentences and speak slowly.
• It is best to have no distractions around.
• Allow enough time for them to understand what you said and
find an answer. Sometimes this can take up to 90 seconds. It’s
best to just let them think, and be silent so you don’t confuse
them. Don’t ask more questions while waiting for an answer.
• No matter how bad the dementia gets, try to remember that
they are adults—don’t talk down to them; they are not children.
• Do your best to avoid asking a lot of questions.
• Don’t say “Remember?,” because they probably don’t.
• Reassure them always.
There are many ways to help make the caregiving process easier.
Just remember that as long as you are doing your best and keeping
your loved one’s best interest in mind, you are doing a great job.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself as well.
“People will forget what you said, people will
forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou
Grane Hospice Care provides comfort for the
Body, Mind and Soul
Hospice Care is an affirmation of life that focuses on