How Can You Make Tasks Easier for a Senior with Alzheimer’s Disease?

By Marlene Diaz | December 14, 2017 |

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, it often becomes more difficult for your aging family member to follow even the simplest of tasks. Everything from getting dressed to setting the table can become way more complicated than she expects.

Homecare Issaquah WA – How Can You Make Tasks Easier for a Senior with Alzheimer’s Disease?

Keep Instructions Simple

The simpler the instructions are the better. Take the time to go through recipes, tasks, and any other instructions and break them down into their simplest parts. This might take some practice for you at first, because you’re not used to thinking about tasks in this way.

Break Instructions Down and Pause

When you’re giving instructions to your senior, keep them simple and pause in between instructions. As your elderly family member finishes one stage or instruction, now you can move on to the next one. Give her time to process what the last instruction was and to do whatever it entailed.

Avoid Interrupting Her

Interruptions can really mess with what your senior is trying to do. Make it a habit to avoid interrupting her and let her give you a signal when she’s got a question or needs more help. The fewer interruptions there are the lower your senior’s frustration level is likely to be.

Brace for Frustration and Outbursts

You can’t avoid frustration entirely, unfortunately. Your elderly family member is experiencing some big changes to how her brain works and that can be extremely upsetting. She’s likely going to have an outburst now and again and there’s going to be a lot of frustration.

Keep Her Involved in Making Decisions

You can’t successfully take over all the decisions in your senior’s life. She’s still an adult and whether she’s able to handle the big decisions or not, she’ll be extremely frustrated if all decisions are taken from her. Give your senior choices between two options, even if it seems like a silly choice. Remember that your elderly family member used to be able to make all of her own decisions, so it’s difficult to have that taken away.

Watch how homecare providers interact with your senior, too. They can teach you a lot about how you can simplify so many situations for your elderly family member without talking down to her.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services in Issaquah WA, contact the caring staff at Hospitality Home Care today. Call us at (206) 966-6552.

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Marlene Diaz

Care Supervisor at Hospitality Home Care

Marlene brings to Hospitality Home Care's Care Supervisor Team an unprecedented level of passion for caring for others and a wealth of knowledge and understanding in the care services field. Marlene has worked in the healthcare field for more than 15 years in a variety of settings including, adult family home administration, home care HR supervising and working with specialty populations including dementia, mental health and developmental disabilities. Throughout this time Marlene has also maintained her caregiver credentials that she obtained as a teenager because, while her knowledge is best served helping to train caregivers and assist families to get the care they need, her heart is most fulfilled when she is providing care to others. When she is not in the office, you will most likely find Marlene caring for her family, or spending time with her friends.