As of 2015, the World Health Organization says about 47 million people throughout the world have dementia. When it’s your family affected by the disease, it becomes stressful on both you and your loved-one diagnosed with one of the forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body, or Parkinson’s. In the early stages, it may not seem so bad. As the disease progresses, however, the struggles you face often seem unexpected.
Here are three of the biggest…
Angry Outbursts
Your Mom or Dad will be frustrated with the memory decline. The angry outbursts often occur with little notice. You’ll become the target for many of these outbursts. They can be hard to take, but try to remember that it’s the disease that’s frustrating your Mom or Dad, it’s not what you’re doing.
Meal Preparation Isn’t as Easy
With dementia, tastes may change completely. Foods your Mom or Dad once loved are suddenly despised. It may be onions that no longer taste good or fish. You may find yourself cooking a meal that your parent doesn’t like and won’t eat.
It takes a lot of trial and error to find what your parent may like or dislike. Introduce new foods from time to time and watch for a reaction. Keep note of the changes for others who care for your parent. That will make meal preparation easier to handle.
Siblings May Not Agree on Care Needs
One of the hardest aspects of caring for a parent with dementia is the arguments that occur between adult children. One may not agree that senior care is necessary. He may feel that Mom or Dad is fine for a few hours a day while everyone else is working. Others may want to bring in home care but find the conflict with the sibling to be too stressful to handle.
If quarrels take place, make sure it’s done where the parent with dementia cannot hear. You may need to sit down together and talk to a social worker who deals with dementia. Hearing about the realities of the disease may be the best way to get everyone on the same page in terms of the necessary care.
One thing you shouldn’t do is try to do it all. You may feel it’s best to care for your Mom or Dad on your own, but that leads to stress that can impact your health. You need support from others who have been in your shoes. Senior care professionals can help care for your Mom or Dad while you attend support groups or simply have some time to yourself. Call a senior care agency today.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering senior care in Tigard, OR, to give your family some respite, please contact the caring staff at Integrity In-Home Care.
Call today (503) 660-3755
Sources:
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/dementia/en/