Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes loss of cognitive functions such as remembering, thinking, and reasoning. The loss of cognitive functioning eventually interferes with the affected individual's daily life and routine.
The severity of dementia varies from mild stage to the most severe stage. During the mild stage, the person's functioning has started to decline, while in the later stages, the person is completely dependent on others to perform basic tasks.
In this blog, we share dementia friendly help at home ideas to help support you and your loved one.
Is Dementia A Normal Part Of Aging?
Dementia is not a normal part of ageing, but it is common among older people. Most healthy individuals will live a normal life without developing dementia.
To be more specific, dementia is a group of symptoms. A person’s symptoms can vary depending on the type of dementia they have.
The most common signs of dementia are caused when neurons (nerve cells in the brain) stop working and lose connections with other brain cells and die.
While everyone naturally loses neurons as they age, the loss of neurons experienced by people with dementia is far greater.
Dementia Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of dementia are memory loss, inability to judge, and day-to-day confusion. Difficulty in speaking and expressing thoughts, reading and writing, and being unable to recognise familiar settings such as home and neighbourhood are also common.
Difficulty in managing finances responsibly and repeating queries and using unusual words to refer to familiar objects can also be experienced.
Other symptoms include:
Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
Disinterest in normal activities or activities they previously found interesting
Delusional, paranoid
Impulsive
No regard for others' feelings
Losing balance and problems with movement
People with delayed development and intellectual disabilities can also develop different forms of dementia as they age. It can be difficult to recognise early signs in these situations. So, it’s important to keep track of a person's current abilities and monitor for changes over time so diagnoses can be made.
For a person living with dementia, navigating through their own home can become challenging. Staying in their own home will help a loved one with dementia by still giving them a sense of independence and safety.
By making some changes to the home, your loved one diagnosed with dementia can continue with their routine and activities in a safe environment whilst still enjoying their creature comforts.
Each of the changes below can help them stay safe and active, and allow them to continue to enjoy their home.
10 Dementia Friendly Home Ideas
1. Having Adequate Lighting
Having the perfect balance of lighting in your house will allow your loved one to see clearly and make sense of where they are in the house. We recommend you let in plenty of natural light, so it keeps the environment well-lit and pleasant.
Make sure there is nothing blocking light from coming through the window, and also make sure your loved one's bedroom is dark enough at night, as this will allow them to sleep better.
2. Clearing The Floor Of Any Obstacles
It’s important to remove anything that could cause your loved one to trip over. Get rid of any rugs or mats if possible, and watch out for other common trip hazards like cables.
Also try to avoid flooring that is too shiny or has a colour that is similar to the walls, as it can cause confusion.
3. Using Dishes and Cutlery With Contrasting Colours
Eating and drinking play an important part in your loved one’s well-being. Using plates, cups and cutlery with contrasting colours can make it easier for them to eat and drink.
Also storing food in plastic containers with clear labels will allow them to see what’s inside the container.
4. Ensure Furniture Can Be Seen Clearly
Dementia can affect your loved one's ability to differentiate between colours therefore using bright and contrasting colours on furniture will make it easy for them to see the items.
5. Using Signs And Visuals
Using signs and pictures around the house will help your loved one to not forget or get confused when looking for daily-use items. These signs can for example remind them what is inside a cupboard or drawer.
6. Simplify The Bathroom
Labelling or putting a sign on the door of the toilet or bathroom can help your dementia-diagnosed loved one easily locate the room and know its purpose.
You can also remove the toilet lid if it makes it easy for your loved one to use it. It’s also helpful to have towels and toilet rolls with colours that contrast the walls.
7. Keep Clutter-Free
Having a messy floor plan can make it difficult for your loved one to navigate through the home and perform their daily routine tasks. Haphazard arrangements and untidiness can confuse and distract them so try to make it as simple as possible.
Get rid of any excess clutter and make sure cupboards and drawers are tidy. Turn off the TV or radio when they are not watching or listening to it, so the noise isn’t confusing or distracting.
8. Using Safety Equipment
Grab rails are an excellent choice for households with dementia patients, they can prevent your loved one from falling and provide that bit of reassurance when they’re moving around their home. There is a range of support and safety equipment that can be installed in the home to make life easier and safer so it’s worth checking out your options online or speak to your local support networks.
9. Having An Engaging And Active Life
Make sure your loved one keeps doing the things they enjoy so they can maintain their quality of life. You can buy them a daily planner, so they write down reminders and they can also have large-face clocks and calendars to keep track of their day and time.
Remember that a person with dementia may struggle to keep track of time, and it can cause confusion if they miss out on things they had to do.
10. Plan Time Outdoors
Last but not the least, try to plan some outdoor activities for your loved one. It’s essential for their well-being that they get some fresh air. If your loved one has initial symptoms, they may well be safe to go out alone but if they have severe dementia they should have extra support whether that’s from yourself, a family member or home care team member.
Home Care Services For Your Loved One With Dementia
If you have a loved one with an early diagnosis they may need help with household chores, shopping or help with appointments. Or, you may have a loved one with later stages of dementia who require supervision and help, personal care or you need some respite care. Whatever stage your loved one is at home care services and support can help make life better and continue their good quality of life.
At Abney & Baker, we ensure your loved one is provided with the right care and support, without compromising their dignity and privacy with our dementia-related care services.
You and your loved one’s satisfaction is our top priority at Abney and Baker, so we pride ourselves on providing best-in-class home care services.
Helping your loved one to continue living independently and confidently in their own home.
By providing a range of support at home, we’re helping many clients across Bath & North East Somerset and West Wiltshire retain their independence and stay in control in the comfort of their own homes.
Remember we’re always here if you want to chat about your care options. Just get in touch:
Call 0333 043 4880 - Email enquiries@abneyandbaker.com - Book a call here