There are many different dementia / Alzheimer's programs that offer different philosophies. Ours is simple. We don’t believe that any one program fits everyone. We draw from many sources and work with the patient and family to develop what would be best for the patient. 

• Provide options and help engage the patient in activities    Use of short activities, even the smallest things to engage the patient  Ensure that activities are voluntary and appealing for the patient
• Draw on past experiences such as a past occupation
• Stimulate the senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell)
• Use current physical abilities

The goal is to help to improve the patients in several areas:

• Memory
• Abstract thinking
• Listening skills
• Motor skills
• Sensory perception
• Focusing ability
• Communication skills
• Decision-making skills

Some activity categories that we draw from are:

• Outings
• Crafts / Hobbies
• Music
• Nature
• Home
• Verbal activities
• Games
• Reminiscing

We create a flexible daily plan so that we can focus on the activities rather than trying to determine what activities to do from moment to moment. Sample of a care plan for a person with dementia / Alzheimer's:

Morning

• Get up, wash, brush teeth, bathroom, get dressed
• Prepare & eat breakfast
• Coffee & conversation
• Talk about local news
• Try craft project / reminisce about old photos
• Break / quiet time
• Do chores together
• Take a walk / play active game

 Afternoon

• Prepare & eat lunch, wash dishes
• Get and read mail
• Listen to music, do crossword puzzles
• Watch TV
• Gardening, take walk, visit friends
• Take nap / break

 Evening

• Prepare & eat dinner
• Reminisce over desert
• Play cards, watch movie, give a massage
• Shower, get ready for bed, read a book

• What activates worked / which ones didn’t and why.
• Were activities too much or too little? How do we adjust?
• Did we create enjoyable and beneficial activities or did they produce anxiety and confusion?

10 WARNING SIGNS

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality

Benefits of home care with stimulating activities for those diagnosed with dementia / Alzheimer's:

• Keeps patients safe.
• Ability to oversee patient’s care on a daily basis - Making sure the patient is properly dressed, bathed, etc…
• Keep them in comfortable, familiar surroundings offers a great sense of security to them  - decrease anxiety and stress.
• Companionship and routine help with activities of daily living so they feel independent and self worth.
• Retain dignity and quality of life in the home – where they belong and want to be.
• Allows family to remain close by making it easy to visit.
• Home-bound Alzheimer's patients still have a greater degree of independence and mobility than those secured in lock-down Alzheimer's units in nursing homes and long-term care centers.
• With supervision, an Alzheimer's patient cared for at home may still enjoy familiar surroundings, family interaction and stimulus from everyday household activities.
• In an institution a patient may get between 30 – 60 minutes of direct contact with a specific caregiver on a daily basis. Keeping a person diagnosed with Alzheimer's at home busy with activities will help prevent some feelings of abandonment and fear.
• Stimulating fine motor skills with cognitive thinking may help prevent rapid decline of both physical and mental function and capabilities.

Choosing home care may be one of the most important decisions you ever make for your loved one who is suffering from dementia / Alzheimer's. Having other regular caregivers to depend on is important to relieving stress for both caregiver and person with dementia / Alzheimer's. Home care provides the caregiver with a much-needed opportunity to reenergize while minimizing disruptions to daily routines, resulting in reduced confusion for person with dementia / Alzheimer's and reduced burnout for caregivers. 

Contact us for more information.