Articles

Protecting your Client's Brain - and yours!

18/01/2017

As a carer, you will often find that your client with Dementia repeats the same word or phrase over, and over again. While this does not do any harm to your client, it is one thing that will – over a period of time – drive you dippy! Let’s be honest here, no one likes to answer the same question again, and again! This will cause you a great deal of stress in your already difficult job, but there are some ways that you can reduce this and make life a little easier for yourself and your client. Keeping your client’s brain occupied with other things is the best way to achieve this.

 

Social life – try to ensure that your client has an active social life, where possible. You can do this by encouraging them to go out, join a club, see a movie, walk in the park, go shopping, go to a restaurant. All these activities will keep the brain occupied for longer periods of time and will detract from your client asking repeatedly when the postman is coming, or if you put the right bins out!

Reduce stress – try to keep the house as peaceful as possible with no unnecessary noise like the radio blaring out all day. If your client loves to listen to classical music, then have this on in the background. Suggest relaxation times where your client can sit peacefully and watch the birds feeding, instead of watching you doing the laundry. Keep things still at these times.

Keep things familiar – this is one of the reasons why live in care has the advantage, because all your client’s favourite things are at hand. If they want their old tatty book about Peter Rabbit with them all the time, then so be it. If they want their crochet rug around their shoulders, them this is the way it should be. Things that are familiar to your client will mean less stress for both of you. This is a comfort to them, not a problem for you.

Sleep easy – keep the bed and pillows comfortable. If they like a mound of fluffy pillows, that’s okay. If they prefer the light on, that’s okay. Keep the sleeping area as comfortable and as friendly as possible.

Exercise is good – exercise will at least distract from the same question over again. It is also good for both you and your client to get some form of exercise and fresh air. Even a short walk around the garden on good days will do your client the world of good.

Diet – a diet that is rich in fruit and veggies, along with Omega 3 fats is good for enhancing the memory. Try to make the plate as colourful as possible and perhaps cut foods into small, manageable pieces for your client.

Mental stimulation – anything you can do to get your client thinking is good. Try easy jigsaw puzzles if their fingers will cope with this. Crossword puzzles are very good as are reading the newspaper and doing riddles of any sort.

 

The best method to stop the relentless flow of the same question is distraction! You will soon learn the best form to take to keep to distract your client and keep both your brains working!