Improving your communication skills will help make caregiving less stressful and will likely improve the quality of your relationship with your loved one. Good communication skills will also enhance your ability to handle the difficult behavior you may encounter as you care for a person with a dementing illness.

See below some skills that can help make day to day caregiving a bit easier.

• Set a positive mood. Set a positive mood by speaking to your loved one in a pleasant and respectful manner. Use facial expressions, tone of voice, and physical touch to help convey your message and show your feelings of affection.
• Get the person’s attention. Limit distractions and noise—turn off the radio or TV, close the curtains or shut the door, or move to quieter surroundings.
• State your message clearly. Use simple words and sentences. Speak slowly, distinctly, and in a reassuring tone. Use the names of people and places instead of pronouns (he, she, they) or abbreviations.
• Ask simple, answerable questions. Ask one question at a time; those with yes or no answers work best. Refrain from asking open-ended questions or giving too many choices.
• Break down activities into a series of steps. This makes many tasks much more manageable. You can encourage your loved one to do what he can, gently remind him of steps he tends to forget, and assist with steps he’s no longer able to accomplish on his own. Using visual cues when possible.
• When the going gets tough, distract and redirect. If your loved one becomes upset or agitated, try changing the subject or the environment.

Finally, remembering the past is often a soothing and affirming activity. Many people with dementia may not remember what happened 45 minutes ago, but they can clearly recall their lives 45 years earlier. Therefore, avoid asking questions that rely on short-term memory, such as asking the person what they had for lunch. Instead, try asking general questions about the person’s distant past—fond memories that they enjoy talking about. This will help set a positive mood and open the lines of communication and trust.

The post Caring For Loved Ones With Dementia appeared first on Community Home Care.

We have been using dogs in our in home senior care management program for years and have seen tremendous success. Which is why, its with a heavy heart that we inform readers that are beloved Holly passed away. Our clients loved having her around for therapy and visits, so we were eager to welcome another furry friend into the mix so our program could continue.

Pet therapy for seniors, also known as Animal Assisted Therapy, is a technique that we use with seniors for numerous reasons to help improve their quality of life. Studies show that just fifteen minutes spent bonding with an animal promotes hormonal changes within the brain. Stress levels drop as the brain produces serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), along with prolactin and oxytocin. This is why therapy animals are good companions for seniors, because they offer so many amazing health benefits.

Our new canine in training is Tommy. While Tommy is still learning the ropes, we know our clients are already falling in love.

Tommy comes to us from Arkansas and is about one-year-old. He is a Border Collie Golden Retriever mix and his favorite things to do are running, chewing and stealing shoes – a true puppy.

Tommy is a rescue dog, who was found abandoned with his sister. Luckily a local vet discovered the pair while out on a bike ride and took him in. After some medical care he ended up at a local rescue center with the name Tommy. Given that our last name is Brady, we thought keeping the name was only fitting for a New England dog.

Tommy

Read more about our dog therapy program here.

The post More About Tommy appeared first on Community Home Care.