General Caregiving Tips
Do…
- Keep everything as simple as possible.
- Give instructions one step at a time.
- Keep your loved one occupied with simple chores.
- Remember your loved one will follow you around and want to know where you are at all times.
- Maintain a daily, structured routine.
- Minimize distractions, noise and confusion.
- Provide memory aids and cues when possible.
- Be gentle – provide affection and support.
- Maintain a sense of humor and acknowledge the small successes.
- Get respite time away from your role as a caregiver.
Don’t…
- Expect answers to your questions to be accurate.
- Get irritated when they ask the same question over and over.
- Give them too much responsibility.
- Expect them to properly identify people, places, or things.
- Get upset, raise your voice or scold the patient.
- Take the person’s behavior personally – it’s the disease!
- Argue with the patient to try to rationalize with them.
Expect…
- To have normal feelings such as guilt, anger, sorrow, or helplessness.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Symptoms to worsen in the evening.
- Behavior changes when there are major changes in daily life.
- Patients to be anxious, frustrated and to deny their problems.
