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Maximizing the Environment for Individuals with Dementia
According to the AARP, most Americans would prefer to stay in their homes until the end of their life. This statistic is no different for persons with dementia. Lack of safety and accessibility in the home are issues that need to be addressed so that individuals with dementia and their respective caregivers also have the ability to age in place. Occupational therapy professionals are trained health care providers that can provide formalized home safety assessments and recommend home modifications to increase safety and independence in the home. These efforts are also beneficial for community and business owners to consider and employ to further support individuals with dementia in the community.
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Helping an Older Loved One Living Alone with Dementia
Many assume that older adults who live alone inevitably transition into assisted living when diagnosed with dementia, but this is not the case. Around one third of people with dementia live on their own, in their own homes. While it does not pose as many concerns in the early-stages of dementia, this arrangement may become increasingly risky in the middle- and late-stages. As a caregiver, you may feel pressure to move in with your loved one or vice versa, or else find them an assisted living arrangement, even if your loved one does not want to leave their home.
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Preparing Your Home for Hospice
If the loved one we care for is in the advanced stages of a disease and we’ve decided that we would like them to be in as much comfort as possible in familiar surroundings, home hospice may be the right choice. However, arranging a loved one’s home or our own for a hospice stay takes some thought and preparation. We likely don’t want the place to look like a hospital, but we need to have all of the necessary equipment the loved one we care for requires.
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Caregiving, the Holidays and COVID
The COVID pandemic roller coaster has been operating since March, forcing us onto the ride and refusing to let us off. We have made adjustments: we restrict our outings into the community, wear masks when we do go out, maintain 6 feet distance and wash our hands until they turn red. We have been forced to accept that the pandemic is as much about loss as it is about health. And while we got used to a little taste of “normalcy” during the warmer months, just as the holiday season approaches, we are again asked to limit our travel and minimize contact with others. Now, rather than anticipating gatherings with friends and family, we must instead ask ourselves: “Should I?”, “Can I?” and “How can I possibly face another loss?”
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Tips to Prepare Your Older Loved One for Winter During the Pandemic
After getting by for most of the year under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been able to adapt to this new normal. However, the coming winter will reintroduce challenges not seen to the same extent since the early months of the pandemic, such as the return of cold and flu season and limited opportunities to interact in safer outdoor environments. The holiday season is also approaching, forcing all of us to consider how our usual celebrations and traditions will have to adapt to the times.
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