Facing the Overwhelm of Dementia Care
Facing the challenges of dementia care can feel downright overwhelming. My blog has become an outlet to support both an inner and outer dialogue about dementia care that has helped me through some tough days, and I hope helps others. So, chin up buttercup! We can make it together with knowledge, skills, self-care and community.
This month’s focus is on reducing stress by learning how to be in a hurry but not rushed.
Caregivers from all settings deal with stress, and especially when assisting a loved one with dementia. We can find ourselves trying to do too much and then hurried during care. Which, of course, will backfire by triggering the brain’s fight or flight response of the loved one in our care. Now, uh oh. What do we do?
“Be Quick, But Don’t Hurry”
One of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, John Wooden, has said it best: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” Being quick implies a need to be efficient and decisive, “but don’t hurry” asks us to be more conscious and focused rather than be effected by external pressures (What will the dentist think of me if my loved one has not been flossing daily?) As caregivers of people living with brain change, we need to act like we have all day yet be focused and efficient. How do we do it? We prepare.
The Power of Preparation in Dementia Care
The foundation of being prepared is organization — mentally, physically and environmentally. Caregiving that is impeccable and thoughtful requires that we first be organized in our heads. When we pause, think through, and even visualize the tasks ahead we can organize our own thoughts. What care needs are the priorities at this time? Can I break down the tasks over two or three time periods? What supplies and equipment do we need to set up ahead of time so that the tasks can be accomplished with ease?
Organized physically as a caregiver means taking care of our own physical health and always includes taking steps to use safe and effective body mechanics to prevent injury. In addition it means using the proven techniques of Positive Physical Approach to care (Teepa Snow O.T.):
Setting Up For Calm and Efficient Care
Being organized environmentally calls for us to see the bigger picture of our care setting and how well we develop, maintain, and store our supplies. Having the right equipment and supplies on hand can make all the difference between being rushed during care and being efficient, gentle and impeccable with our care.
Maintaining supplies and storing them close at hand in multiple locations is essential. Label bins that are well stocked with frequently needed items in key places like near the toilet and bedside table — briefs, wipes, gloves, skin cleansing sprays, skin protection creams and lotions, no rinse body wash, wash cloths and hand towels. Place a tray with a water pitcher and cups nearby for hydration and for use when taking medications. Keep a tote bag ready for car trips. Need equipment for safety during care? Request a referral to an occupational therapist from the primary care physician. Occupational therapists can assess and help order the best equipment for each situation, and provide training.
Being prepared mentally, physically and environmentally can alleviate our impulse to rush care and be ready for what each day brings.
Self-Care For May
Let’s get some good quality sleep and take a moment to stop and smell the wildflowers.
CNN published findings of a recent study that demonstrates how important sleep is for brain health and decreases our risk for Alzheimer’s.
Not getting enough deep sleep raises your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, study finds
Need another reason to prioritize your sleep? Not spending enough time in the two deep stages of sleep — slow-wave and rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep — may hasten the deterioration of parts of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found. Deficits in slow-wave and REM sleep appear to shrink parts of the brain known to be early indicators of cognitive deterioration and Alzheimer’s disease, said lead study author Gawon Cho, a postdoctoral associate in internal medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
Stop and Smell the Wildflowers!
Nature beckons us to experience the glory of Spring! As a thank you to our team members we are giving Sonoma County Parks memberships this May! Check out the special wildflowers that are bloom now: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Microsites/Regional%20Parks/Documents/Play/regional-parks-wildflower-guide.pdf