Visiting Someone with Alzheimer’s

It can be difficult to visit someone who has Alzheimer’s disease! The key is to prepare yourself and follow suggestions to make your visit important and comfortable for you and the person you are visiting. Yes, it can be a little intimidating to understand what to say and how to behave when spending time with someone who has Alzheimer’s, but don’t stay away, be informed. Learn what things to anticipate and prepare in advance about how to best manage challenging behaviors. There are several difficulties that members of a family or friends encounter upon visitation and they belong to one of three categories:  changes in behavior, reduced memory, and communication ability. The amount of difficulty will probably fluctuate in line with the particular stage of the disease the senior is currently experiencing. To help overcome these challenges and to make your visit as enjoyable as possible, look over the following recommendations (random order) to see what would work for you.

1-Begin your visit with a smile.  2-Re-introduce yourself if necessary. 3-Use simple language and brief sentences. 4-Talk slowly. 5-Refrain from arguing with or correcting the person. 6-Take along photos from a favorite past memory for reminiscing. 7-Listen to some of the person’s favorite music together.

8-Take a walk together if at all possible. 9-Be calm during your visit even if the person is agitated or exhibits inappropriate behavior. 10-Maintain a sense of respect throughout your conversation. 11-Be patient if the person repeats information. 12-Decrease distractions. 13-Give the individual your full attention. 14-Keep in mind who the person was pre-dementia. 15-Remind the person of your particular connection.

16-Timing is important: arrange a convenient time for the person you are visiting. 17-Use gestures as well as words to get your meaning across. 18-Laugh together. 19-Be prepared to listen and listen carefully as communication may be slow or difficult. 20-Create a visitor guest book. 21-Show that you care. 22-Make eye contact. 23-Keep your tone and body language friendly and positive. 24-Speak softly. 25-Keep your visit to an appropriate length.

Your visit will be meaningful for you and the person you are visiting if you are thoughtful of his or her best interests. From: https://www.atlantahomecarepartners.com/alzheimers/feeling-intimidated-visiting-alzheimers-disease-tips-help/