Dealing with dementia as a family carer

A leading home care provider is sharing expert dementia care techniques with family carers as part of World Alzheimer’s Day which took place on Monday.

Dovida is hoping to raise awareness of a condition which affects an estimated 7,509 people and their families across Cork.

By sharing techniques practised by caregivers every day, Dovida hopes family carers will gain a better understanding of dementia and feel more empowered to care for their loved ones with confidence, empathy and compassion.

Aisling Cooke, National Caregiver Training Manager at Dovida, said caring for someone with dementia can be “both rewarding and challenging” as the condition progresses.

“Families often find themselves navigating changes in memory, communication, behaviour, and daily routines. These are many of the same challenges that Dovida Caregivers are trained to deal with every day. Many of the techniques Dovida Caregivers learn throughout their training are simple but effective in managing behaviours associated with dementia and can be very helpful for family members caring for loved ones in the home,” Aisling said.

“One of the most important aspects of dementia care is knowing the person’s life story and this is where families excel,” she continued. “Triggering long term memories by asking questions about any past hobbies or interests can open up the opportunity for the person to tell stories about their life.”

Cooke notes some techniques that can also help: offering compliments to give support and build self-esteem, asking the person’s opinion on matters, avoid arguments to reduce their distress, protecting their dignity through small moments of kindness through mistakes, and doing things together. Practices that seem simple can have a huge impact.

A person living with dementia can also experience changes in their behaviour or personality that can be difficult to understand.

“If a person is feeling particularly upset or fixated on something, shifting the focus of the conversation can often have a positive effect,” the training manager explained.

The technique known as ‘redirecting’ follows three simple steps. First, seek to understand the source of the person’s distress. Secondly, validate their feelings and acknowledge their emotions, even if they don’t make sense to you. Finally, redirect or distract. Change the subject to a different topic or engage in an activity that the person may find comforting.

To conclude, Aisling Cooke said: “Our caregivers make a difference to people living with dementia and their families by remembering the unique individual that they are and supporting them. These same principles can be used by anyone caring for someone living with dementia and help them to continue living as comfortably as possible in the place they call home.”