Live in Caregiver Elder-Care-Made-Easy | страница 7

Things to Do If an Elder Member of the Family Is Dealing with Alzheimer’s • • • • • Try to make eye contact. Interact with them face to face and mention their name. Always make sure that their attention is focused on you. Deeply note their gestures and body language to realize how they are feeling. Always mention in detail about what you are going to do before you do it. Elders with Alzheimer’s disease often feel more comfortable when they already know what to expect. Considering their deteriorating mental capabilities, always ask only one question at a time. Try not to ask questions in the context of why or how. Elders with Alzheimer’s disease find them hard to process. Instead try asking the question in the context of who, what and where. Try to speak in a soft tone and a calm manner while making use of small sentences. To maintain your pace, try taking a breath between each sentence. Try to use just one idea or instruction in a single sentence. Never ask them to remember. It would be difficult for them and eventually cause frustration if they will be unable to remember past or recent events.