Whether you know someone with dementia and would like to help support their caregiver, or your friend or family member is serving as a dementia caregiver, there are many ways to help them on this journey. In fact, it’s important to provide them with a listening ear, support or extra assistance to make this easier on them as well as the person they are caring for. Not only can providing them with additional support take some of the weight of caregiving off their mind, but it can also help them to feel less stressed, burnt out and even enhance their health! Fortunately, this is often easy to do. Try some of our expert tips to help the caregiver in your life be the best they can be.
Caring for the Dementia Caregiver
- Ask how you can help. Caregivers are often so busy helping others that they either don’t think to ask for help or perhaps don’t want to ask for help. By asking them how you can help them, it may allow them to open up and share ways that you can. Whether this means helping them with shopping, groceries, making sure their family is ok or even picking up some prescriptions for them, the littlest things can often make the biggest differences for them.
- Offer to spend time with the person with dementia. If they are caring for one of your loved ones, consider asking if they’d like you to spend some time with him or her while they rest, go for a walk, eat lunch or do something else that will help relax them and lessen their stress. While they may not be gone long, just a small amount of time can help to lessen their mental load while feeling more refreshed.
- Listen to their fears and encourage them. It can be hard for caregivers to open up about the negatives of their experience. It’s important to realize that many people have not done this before, are still figuring things out as they go and may be overwhelmed, worried and uncertain. Be there for them to talk to, listen to their problems and ensure you’re telling them how good of a job they are doing.
- Help them by offering to research for them. If the caregiver in your life is very overwhelmed, is having trouble coping with the changing course of a loved one’s dementia or is simply too busy to search for caregiving tips and resources, take on that role yourself. Find articles and break them down for them, compile a folder of materials you think may help, plan some activities so they can have a break from searching for them. This can often be a very large help to caregivers.
- Show them appreciation. While it may not seem like much, a simple “thank you,” gift basket, coffee or meal can help to make a caregiver feel appreciated. Consider learning their favorite coffee order and purchasing it for them once a week. Make them a gift basket with comfy socks, lotions, snacks and other essentials they may enjoy. Make a healthy meal or a guilty-pleasure snack and drop it off as a surprise. There are so many ways to brighten a caregiver’s day, so try to do so as much as possible.
For more information or more tips on how to better care for the caregiver in your life, contact our team today. We would be happy to provide more of our expert tips, advice and techniques to help make their caregiving experience easier and more supportive.
Experience The Sterling Life
At The Grande at Sterling Estates of West Cobb, we provide an exceptional experience for those in need of a Memory Care Center of Excellence. Our residents can enjoy everything they need to live engaging and fulfilling lives – from an array of programs and activities and a variety of amenities, to the peace of mind of dedicated care and a world of possibilities for enhanced wellness each day.
With spacious features that include a fitness center, dining room, and a greenhouse as well as small, easy-to-navigate neighborhoods for residents to enjoy, they can experience safety and comfort as well as the independence to explore.
As a partner with the Hearthstone Institute, we provide Dr. John Zeisel’s I’m Still Here® programming to change the way residents live. Each day, they can experience a joyful, fulfilling and active life while experiencing the care they deserve. To learn more, contact us today!
Call us at 770-383-1779 for more information or to schedule a personal visit today.