Day to Day – Living with Dementia

kingwood memory care, assisted living, senior community, dementia

Caring for a person with Dementia can be a frustrating and difficult task.  However, knowing what steps are needed to progress throughout the day will allow your loved one to have peace and be content in life.

 

At Kingwood Memory & Assisted Living, we learn more and more every day on the different types of care each individual person requires. Our approach ensures to make each one of our residents feel as though they are special and our priority.

 

Activity

Much of what we learn comes from speaking to family and learning the resident’s likes and dislikes, along with what their day to day was like for much of their life. It is important to know what our resident did as a trade, their favorite TV show and movies, and meals they loved.  Learning about the “little things” helps us personalize the care of your loved one.

 

Routines are important, so we need to try and mirror what they did in the past such as: when they drank coffee, time they woke, when they showered and what they did to keep busy. A routine gives our residents the freedom to remain as independent as possible. We try to maintain a schedule that keeps our residents active and engaged.

Our activities include:

  • TV time
  • Walks Outdoors
  • Exercise
  • Games
  • Puzzles
  • Music
  • Gardening

 

Hygiene

Kingwood Memory & Assisted Living also provides personal care, helping our residents maintain hygiene that keeps them healthy and feeling better about themselves. Personal hygiene is mostly what is neglected when it comes to dementia. With the disease, there’s a lack of understanding the steps needed to complete a shower or even a simple task such as completing a visit to the toilet or brushing teeth. Having someone there to not only cue them but, offer assistance in completing the task is a major upside of assisted living. Personal care is somewhat of a taboo when it comes to family and friends. The person receiving the care may not feel comfortable with their son or daughter providing such care.  A lack of knowledge on how to perform things like getting them in and out the shower safely can be a dangerous issue as well.  The last thing a person wants is an injury to a loved one while they are caring for them. Our staff is trained on handling our residents with care and respect, ensuring dignity and safety.

 

Safety

A person with Dementia can sometimes wander, making safety a concern.  Usually they’re walking around looking for something not remembering what they are looking for.  This type of behavior can have severe consequences.  It can make them feel disoriented, frustrated, confused, and can cause an outburst of anger or fear. Having someone there to help them calm them down by offering a hug or holding their hand can completely change the outcome during one of these cycles. Our care providers are always available 24 hours a day.  Your loved one will never be left alone. Our care home is a secure home with no worries about your loved one wandering outside of safe perimeters.

 

Nutrition

Meal time is another challenge that people suffering from Dementia can face.  They may not remember the ingredients, or leave a pot on the stove and forget about it. We cook each meal, making sure that our residents our eating hot healthy meals. The importance of eating right and keeping hydrated is crucial when it comes to Dementia. We serve high protein meals with the right amount of carbohydrates, keeping up with scheduled hydration times. This time is also great for socialization with other residents and care providers. Nothing like a conversation over a meal to bring a smile.

 

Medication Administration

You may notice that your loved might be missing their medication times, or may be taking them too often. Forgetting to call in a refill or missing a doctor’s appointment to keep a medication active can be detrimental to their health.  This causes delays in improvement and can even worsen their condition. We provide our residents with medication reminders and watch over them to make sure the medication is taken at the appropriate times and dosage. We follow up with refills and keep in close contact with doctors to make sure the medication is always available and up to date.

 

Sleep

Sleep is equally important.  You can rest assured that our care providers are on site 24 hours a day, awake and ready to assist your loved one no matter what time of the day it is. Having someone there to remind and guide our residents during the night helps us to minimize falls and other accidents.

 

Kingwood Memory & Assisted Living strives to not only look after our residents but also cares for your loved one knowing this was not an easy choice to make.  We understand that with work and children you cannot always be available for certain appointments that your family member may need, which is why we offer transportation and escorts. Our care providers will be happy to accompany your loved one to their appointments. We invite family to visit any time, we welcome birthday celebrations, anniversaries or just stop by to sit down and share a meal us.

 

Staying active and keeping your loved one engaged, maintaining a regular routine, having friends and family involved is vital to a happy and healthy life. Dementia does not mean the end, just a different beginning. Working closely with the care providers and doctors will help maintain a great quality of life.

 

Kingwood Memory & Assisted Living is located in Kingwood, TX.  We look forward to your visit and can’t wait to show you our home with 24 hour care, video monitoring, secure outside door, secure patio, lots of activities, day to day personal care, transportation, medication management, and a loving, cozy, and safe environment.