Home Care: When you need to take your senior loved one with dementia out of the house to go to a medical appointment, get a haircut, or do other things it can be very nerve-wracking. Seniors who have dementia may wander off if you leave them alone for a second. They may talk to strangers inappropriately or be aggressive with strangers. But there are some strategies that you or your home care provider can use to make sure that your senior loved one is safe when you are taking them outside the house like:
Don’t Go Alone
The best way to make sure that your senior loved one with dementia is safe when you have to go out is to bring a home care provider or a sibling with you to help manage your senior loved one. That way if you need to go to the bathroom or leave them alone for a minute for some other reason there is someone else there to make sure they are engaged and present and that they won’t wander off.
Distract Them Safely
Distracting a senior loved one with dementia can be a great way to keep their attention focused if you are alone and you need to run into the pharmacy, go to the bathroom, or if you need someone to distract them so that you can drive the car or bring the car to the front of the building to pick them up or drop them off before you park.
A smart way to distract them safely is to call a friend, relative, sibling, or a home care provider that is waiting at home. Your senior loved one will be busy engaging with the person on the other end of the phone and won’t wander off. Keep the phone numbers of friends, family, and home care providers in your senior loved one’s phone so that you can call them easily whenever you need them to distract your senior parent.
Redirect Them
Redirecting someone with dementia means getting them to shift their focus and emotions. So if your senior loved one is getting aggravated or impatient because they need to wait at the doctor’s office or if they are getting antsy about waiting at the store you can redirect them so that their irritation won’t become a problem. Point out something of interest to shift their attention like a tree that’s nearby or the pretty sunset. You can also call their attention to your scarf or an item of clothing and get them to focus on that.
Bring A Soothing Item
You should always have a bag with you when you are out and about with a senior who has dementia. In the bag with the supplies that you have on hand like baby wipes, water, and hand sanitizer you can put an item that your senior loved one finds soothing. Maybe it’s a stuffed animal, a doll, or even a piece of clothing they really like. Then you can give them the item to hold and keep them amused while they need to wait at the doctor’s office or at the store.
Amelia Home Care provides traditional Home Care in Brooklyn, NY, along with virtual caregiving and remote patient monitoring. Our service area includes; Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Westchester County. Call today (929) 333-3955.
We proudly provide non-medical home care services to individuals with disabilities, injuries, difficulties with mobility, or illnesses. Our team is composed of highly trained and competent staff members who are dedicated and experts in delivering home care services in the comfort of our client’s home.
Through our personalized care plan, we can give you the needed care services that are all intended to cater to your unique personal and health needs. With us, we ensure around-the-clock services and supervision to help you achieve optimum health and wellness.
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