Agitation is one of the more challenging results of dementia, and may be incredibly hard for family members to handle. The important thing is in taking steps to tackle agitation before it is felt and conveyed by the senior, which involves keeping tabs on what has caused these feelings in the past, and creating a calm, dementia friendly environment where those stimulants are eliminated or minimized. These pointers can help:
- Designate an area of retreat. When life starts to get stressful, having a specially created place for a senior loved one to go to de-stress often works wonders in restoring calm. This can be a designated room, or perhaps a comfortable corner with several calming activities easily available, quiet music, a calming scent to enjoy such as lavender or vanilla – whatever supplies peace and relaxation for the senior.
- Evaluate the home for upsetting objects. Focus on what your loved one is sensitive to, such as certain decorations, mirrors (that might give the illusion of somebody else watching), window coverings that may not adequately block out the darkening evening sky (prompting sundowning issues), etc.
- Reduce noise along with other distractions. Soft carpeting is frequently more comforting for people with dementia than harder floor materials, which could reverberate or accentuate the noise of footsteps. Keep the TV or radio at a low volume, and set to a station that plays gentle music in place of alarming, graphic news presentations. Close windows if outside noises appear to trigger irritation.
- Adjust lighting.Be sure that each room a senior loved one may enter is effectively lit, with natural light as much as possible, or higher wattage lightbulbs, carefully adjusting to eliminate any unusual shapes or shadows created by the light.
- Keep frequently used items readily available. Whatever the senior tends to want to use or hold most often should always be put into a prominent location where he or she can locate it conveniently. Putting labels with words or pictures of what the senior may want to find in cabinets or even the refrigerator is also an excellent way to help bypass irritation.
Let JFS Care’s knowledgeable dementia caregivers help maintain the most calming and peaceful dementia friendly environment for an older adult you love, and provide the skilled, innovative, compassionate dementia home care services that make life the best it can be. Just some of the countless ways we are able to enhance life for anyone with dementia include:
- Specially created activities based around a senior’s particular interests and abilities
- Companionship to assist older adults with social engagement
- Evening respite care to allow family caregivers the opportunity for a restful night when a cherished older adult is challenged by sundowning
- And a lot more
Contact us or call (213) 383-2273 any time to request an in-home consultation and to learn more about our top-rated dementia home care in Los Angeles and surrounding areas!