A medical diagnosis, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, may set off a chain reaction of emotions in the sufferer. Discrimination is still a fear for many individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
People may feel disconnected from their family and society at the moment when they need them the most. The diagnosis of dementia may be a difficult moment, but you can preserve your relationship and help the individual you care about. You need to show your buddy that you’re there for them through this tough time by being patient, flexible, and open to dialogue.
After a diagnosis of dementia, here are some strategies for keeping friendships.
1.) Be Warm and Caring
Laughter is always beneficial since it lowers stress and improves interpersonal relationships. Tell jokes and hilarious anecdotes from your own life, as well as remind your loved ones of the beautiful times they’ve had in the past.
Family and friends with dementia may benefit from affectionate contact, such as hand squeezes and embraces. When you can’t be around in person, make regular voice or video calls to keep them linked to you.
Make sure your loved one in memory care can stay in touch with friends and family through phone and video chats, as well as in-person visits and community involvement.
2.) Find Effective Ways of Communication
As your friend travels, it’s essential to keep in touch with them. Also, avoid making them feel left out of any discussions taking place around them.
Find out whether the person you’re talking to is comfortable discussing their diagnosis with you. We can minimize the stigma of dementia by talking about it. A sympathetic ear or a shoulder to cry on may be a crucial element of your friend’s healing. If your friend’s cognition is beginning to fail, use appropriate gestures, hand signs, and body language to assist them in better grasping what you’re saying
When communicating and spending time together, don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t stop doing an action or a technique of teaching something if it works for you.
3.) Keep Your Friend in the Loop
A powerful sense of self-determination is essential for your friend’s well-being. Dementia may necessitate others making important decisions on their behalf. A feeling of helplessness can result from this. So, they should maintain their interest and involvement in their own life and the lives of others. You can help them with this by including them in all aspects of decision-making. For example, ask whether they’d want to continue to work in their yard or if they’d like to employ a contractor.
To show that you value their opinion, show that your decisions are based on their input. Make sure to keep it calm and short: ask them if they like your meeting attire or if they have any suggestions for your necktie selection. And when it comes to significant decisions, ask them how they feel regarding your choice and have a discussion about their feelings.
4.) Create Quality Time
As the illness progresses, you and your friend’s relationship may transform, but your regular presence in their lives may be beneficial for both of you. Think about what made you friends and focus on the present rather than the past.
Look out for changes in your friend’s conduct or signals that their safety is in jeopardy, and keep in touch with their family. Also, keep their interests and habits going if possible – it’s good for them. Check out these ideas for quality time:
- Enjoy Hobbies Together: You should keep an eye on your pal if the hobbies you enjoy together require a lot of stimulus or a lot of steps. Over time, the activity may need to be tweaked. Make sure they have adequate social interaction. You may even ask their buddies to check in with them on a more regular basis.
- Caregiver Responsibilities: Consider taking up some of their primary caregiver’s responsibilities. The caregiver’s mental health is directly linked to the mental health of the care receiver. You may be able to support your friend’s caregiver the most by spending time with them at the best memory care Carlsbad facility. Assist your companion in focusing on their remaining talents rather than their diminishing ones.
- Meet Them Where They Are: Concentrating on the present is an option if you and your friend used to love sewing together, but your buddy no longer has the hand-eye coordination to stitch. The more you reminisce, the more likely they will remember and enjoy the journey down memory lane! Also, it might be therapeutic to listen to music that you and your friend enjoy together.Being a close friend or family member to someone who has dementia may help you build a stronger connection and better understanding of each other. The most outstanding memory care in Carlsbad uses several of these techniques in their interactions with patients and families.
- Be Flexible: As your friend’s condition progresses, so does the need for constant adjustment by you, your family, and your friends. Let your buddy know that you are available for them whenever they feel down or irritated. No matter how hard things become, being there and encouraging them may help them get through it. Understanding your loved one’s specific kind of dementia can help you better comprehend their behavior and language.
As a result, you’ll be better prepared to answer the same question again and again. It may also help you prepare for ailments and other requests for aid and patience. Finally, because dementia affects your loved one’s cognitive and verbal skills, you may support them better by learning about their condition.
Memory Care in Carlsbad
Suppose you or a family member is suffering from dementia or memory loss. In that case, you’ll want to find a facility where you can get help being diagnosed, learning about the condition, and receiving treatment. Caregivers and family members of people with cognitive impairments may rely on the expertise of the personnel at the finest memory care in Carlsbad.
