Life with a loved one suffering from dementia can present a ton of challenges. From memory loss to mood swings, each day can feel like a mystery (or misery, maybe?) waiting to unfold. I found myself in this exact situation when I realised my mama had dementia. The once vibrant soul that I knew seemed to slip further and further away with each passing day. It was heartbreaking to witness, and you never know/knew what was next. I realised Dementia help, for me would begin in tech and gadgets.
For us (me n mama), consistency and routine was also a number 1!
How It All Started
At some point simple activities like taking medication or knowing the correct time to leave for church, appointments and so on turn into really daunting tasks. Even the day of the week (I think that was more during Covid). This confusion often led to frustration and anxiety, for both of us and being so far away I was desperate for a solution.
Enter dementia clock, alexa, gadgets and more tech.
There's a beauty to routine.
It can become a game-changer and I'd implement this sooner rather than later.
Alarm set for wake up. Another alarm set for leave for church. A quick Alexa reminder to take tablets.
All easy. All manageable. All set up by me and worked for a long while.
This help with independence and limiting confusion. This brought a new confidence in controlling day by day.
The check in from halfway across the world.
At the beginning when I just had a few cameras, I'd check in to see if Mama was up. Left for church. Ate. She'd go to the garden. Putter around the house. Clean the house. Routine. Brought a smile to my face when I saw that she would hear the alarm and know that the tune was associated with leaving to catch the bus. (The Dementia clocks have the ability to set many reminders to different tunes and different languages which was helpful for us)
Always be Consistent.
Consistency is key! I used to tell everyone the same thing. Don't. Change. Anything.
Until...
... the inevitable... adapting as the disease progresses. I've always been adaptable and my goodness, it was definitely needed throughout this time.
You'll notice what's working and what no longer works.
Then you'll have to change, adjust and get creative.
And that all depends on your situation.
Remember, routine is not just a schedule. It plays an important role in the care of person with dementia.
Predictability and Security: A consistent routine provides a sense of familiarity which helps with confidence. Helped mama feel safer and more in control. Helped me too.
Cognitive Preservation: Routine can gently support memory and cognitive abilities by involving familiar tasks and activities. Processing new information is a lot for PWD's.
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