How To Help?

If you have concerns and issues about caring for someone with dementia or who you fear may have early signs of the condition, please ask our experts here.

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JSho
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Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:55 pm
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by JSho on Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:00 pm

How To Help?

Hi, my dad has early onset Alzheimers, and is 67. He lives with my mum 100 miles away, and she is an amazing full time carer. I want to help, and when I go home I try to giver her breaks by looking after dad, but I would like to know if there are any practical things that I can do with him to help? Or if I can do anything over the phone?

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OT Lindsey Skelt
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Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:18 am
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by OT Lindsey Skelt on Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:15 pm

Re: How To Help?

Being such a support to your mum is really important, allowing her to have breaks and have someone to talk to. Practical things to do really depend on your dad's interests and then adapting that to his current abilities. For example someone who has always played golf may not manage a round of golf any more but may manage knocking some balls on the driving range. helping someone who has enjoyed gardening continue with that, may be be later just using small tubs to plant out and if someone is less able still just looking at pictures of gardens in a magazine or looking at a seed catalogue asking for advice on what seeds to buy. Maybe even a trip to a local garden centre.

Remember activities often only have to last for a few minutes at a time, people can tire easily.

Making a scrap book of photographs with comments about things he remembers. Life diaries are really important, for some people in the early stages they can write their own stories, later on its annotating photographs with annecdotes. Not only does this stimulate the individual it provides prompts for conversation, plus for professionals it gives us a chance to know the person and the life they have lead. This can help everyone more. I have found too that when grandchildren find it hard perhaps to visit a grandparent who has a memory problem getting the grandchild to make a scrap book with the grandparents old photographs gives both something to share and can really break down barriers. It helps the relationship as stories are shared and recorded and can lead to lots of laughter.

Over the phone simple conversations can be reassuring, the conversation may often be repeated and more frequent shorter conversations are often more valued than a longer one once a week. The person may not remember you have called but they will remember how they felt. Often its not about asking what they have done as they may not remember but saying what you have done, funny little things that have happened or places you have visited that may mean something. Then encouraging general discussions on topics that can be responded to, the weather, a pet or things that you know would be happening in their local area.

I hope this is a useful starting point.
Lindsey Skelt
Occupational Therapist
http://www.shires-therapy.co.uk/

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