Senior Care in Southwest Ranches FL
In your caregiver journey with an elderly adult living with Alzheimer’s disease you are going to face many challenges. These change and increase as the disease progresses, and it is important that you are prepared to handle these as they come so that you can continue to give your elderly loved one the care that they need and deserve. One of the challenges that is relatively universal among seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is declining ability to communicate. As your parent progresses through the disease the dementia will gradually diminish their ability to process, understand, and use language. This can result in them not being able to carry a conversation, not being able to come up with the right word, using strange words or sounds, or even not responding at all. This can be frustrating and upsetting to you both as their adult child and their family caregiver. Making an effort to maintain communication with your parent throughout their progression with Alzheimer’s disease is a vital way for you to stay connected with your loved one and continue to bring meaning and value to the difficult efforts that you are putting forth for them.
Use these tips to help you maintain communication with your senior as they progress through Alzheimer’s disease:
- Be prepared for the changes. The first step in knowing how to communicate with your elderly parent is to be prepared for the challenges and issues that you might face. Like other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, difficulties with communication do not generally happen suddenly. Instead, they tend to start subtly and progress gradually. These changes might include your loved one reverting to a native language, speaking less, speaking more slowly, stumbling over words, thinking harder about what they are going to say, or struggling with following conversations.
- Be patient. Getting frustrated or flustered with your parent as they are trying to communicate can make your parent anxious and worsen the communication challenges. Be patient with your parent as you communicate with them. Give them plenty of time to respond and do not jump to offer a word or finish their sentences.
- Interpret. Your aging parent does not have to speak perfectly for you to understand what they are saying. Use nonverbal cues and context to interpret what your loved one is saying to you. If there is some confusion or difficulty, take the time to reiterate what you think that they said and let them confirm it. If they are having difficulty understanding you, use other cues to guide them as well. Hand gestures, pointing, and facial cues can be extremely helpful for your loved one if they are having difficulty with spoken word.
- Be consistent. Do not stop talking to your parent because they are no longer communicating effectively with you. Talk to them just as you would if they were communicating with you. Tell them about your day, ask them questions, give them compliments, and keep them engaged even if they do not respond. There is some evidence that this still stimulates their mind and keeps their mind active even if they do not respond. Starting elderly care for them is a great way to help them get more social interaction and engagement even when you are not able to be around them. This elderly home care services provider can handle your parent’s personal needs and act as a companion to improve their quality of life as they progress through the disease.
If you or a family member are in need of senior care in Southwest Ranches, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.
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