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<\/a> to your parent or grandparent. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCaring for a loved one with dementia is not easy and requires a lot of energy, sacrifice, and time. The objective of caregiving dementia patients is to make sure that they have the comfort, love, and necessities they need because these patients will require a lot as they have high needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are an adult child of a parent that was just diagnosed with dementia that has agreed to take on the caregiving role, you will want to make sure that your parent receives the best care. This is why you will need to have these 6 essential skills to be an effective caregiver<\/a> to your parent or grandparent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post, we'll cover:<\/p>\n
Dementia does progress over time and this means that new challenges will emerge as the disease progresses. This means that the caregiver <\/a>must be prepared to not only learn new skills when new behaviors do emerge but to be prepared to both physically as well as emotionally manage the stress that comes with dementia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, if the newly diagnosed dementia patient still is able to bathe and dress independently, eventually the patient will not be able to do either. This means the caregiver must be able to handle the task of dressing and bathing the patient on a daily basis. Additionally, the patient can potentially display behaviors<\/a> that can be violent which means the caregiver will need to handle that as well if it comes up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to endurance, caregivers to dementia patients must be very patient when it comes to caregiving. The memory loss that is associated with dementia is difficult for caregivers<\/a> as they will constantly need to remind these patients things that they were just told recently. Additionally, the behavioral changes that occur with the disease can also be a source of frustration for caregivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you are caring for a dementia patient, an essential skill<\/a> to have is creativity and being strategic. This means each time a new behavior emerges as the disease progresses, there needs to be new techniques put in place in order to manage each one. This will help reduce caregiver stress and to help keep the patient comfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all dementia caregivers are familiar with the disease which often applies to adult children that are caring for their parents who have been recently diagnosed with the disease. The best thing for caregivers to do when they are taking care of a patient with the condition is to find out everything they can about dementia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That means to consult with doctors, psychologists, and other professionals that can be helpful. Talk to others who have had experience with dementia care as well. Find out as well about the up to date research that has been conducted on the condition so you are aware of any types of therapies or treatments that have been known to be effective for patients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being knowledgable about the condition will also help you with being patient and developing the endurance to take on the challenges that dementia presents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the challenges that caregivers face with patients that have dementia is communicating effectively.<\/a> Patients with the condition have a difficult time expressing their thoughts and emotions, they lose their train of thought on what they are saying, and oftentimes they repeat themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caregiving is stressful and highly demanding, and not everyone is cut out for the job<\/a>. Being a good caregiver also means that you are honest with yourself by acknowledging that you cannot physically do the job. You will want to keep looking out for the patient’s wellbeing and that means to find reputable caregivers from organizations such as the Dementia Society of America<\/a> or the Alzheimer’s Foundation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
