Dementia patients and their caregivers should treat each other with kindness. Nurses, social workers, gerontologists, health experts, and other caregivers all play a part in this interdisciplinary approach.
Family members can learn how to best provide compassionate care for their aging parent who is living with dementia by attending educational courses designed specifically for them. Alternatively, relocating them to a memory care home will give them access to the specialized care they need.
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another kind of dementia is difficult, as stated by the Alzheimer’s Association. Read on if you are interested in understanding more about compassionate care in memory care homes in Garner, NC.
Understanding Compassionate Care
Care for elderly people with dementia that is both personalized and empathetic is known as compassionate care. It is a method of being kind toward others, acknowledging their worth as human beings and standing up for their right to be independent and make their own choices.
Compassionate care focuses on maximizing the quality of life for the elderly with dementia while allowing them to retain as much autonomy as possible. Compassionate care may take the form of any number of different interventions, from musical or artistic expression to communal meals or games to visits from therapy animals.
Instances of Compassionate Care
Finding the right kind of compassionate care for your aging loved one is important because there are many options. Here are some instances:
- Helping them in whatever way possible, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
- Having conversations with them.
- Assisting them in remaining self-reliant by reducing the complexity of their daily life.
- Helping them with activities they might struggle with.
- Providing nutrient-dense meals (including snacks) and beverages.
- Providing assistance with transportation.
- Keep them active and involved by helping them stay connected with family members and friends.
- Making sure they are not in any distress by checking in on them frequently and making sure they are comfortable.
- Help with personal care tasks like bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom.
- Assist with relaxation techniques like massage and physiotherapy.
- Support their ability to walk or engage in other activities.
Compassionate Care VS. Hospice Care
- Compassionate Care
Individuals with long-term illnesses or disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, benefit from the assistance and support provided by assisted living and memory care communities that practice compassionate care.
Not seeking a cure, they instead focus on providing symptom relief so that residents with these disorders can continue to care for themselves for as long as feasible.
Compassionate care for elders with dementia is typically provided by family members, close friends, and professional caregivers. As part of this assistance, the elderly will receive aid with things like getting dressed, taking a shower, and cooking a meal.
- Hospice Care
Not all elderly people who require hospice care have dementia and the vast majority of them do not. Aging adults with dementia can get compassionate care from a hospice worker so that they can pass away in the comfort of their own homes. However, it can also be provided in community settings like nursing homes and assisted living communities. Support groups, counseling, and pain management are also offered in a hospice.
