Dementia is an incurable illness. The best you can do is control it to some extent through medicine and proper care. Without these two things, the situation will worsen a lot quicker.

Sadly, a dementia patient cannot take care of themself. Most of these patients have a hard time processing information in their heads. Their logical thinking abilities deteriorate over time, and they eventually fail to grab hold of even trivial matters. Thus, it is up to you to take care of your loved ones who might be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

While taking care of a dementia patient, here are a few things you must consider.

Have Someone Stay Near Them at All Times

Dementia patients gradually lose their abilities to understand the surroundings. They end up doing things a sane human being would not do. And unless there is someone near them or monitoring them all the time, these patients can severely hurt themselves.

Usually, experts will suggest you have a family member around them at all times. You can also hire a nurse if having a family member present throughout the day is not possible. Whoever stays near the patient needs to create a pleasant atmosphere around them. They need to have a lot of patience too because taking care of a dementia patient is no easy job.

They Cannot Miss Their Medicine

Dementia patients must consume their prescribed medicine on time. They need to take proper and timely dosages as suggested by their doctors to maintain stability in their health. These drugs are what keep them sane. It is a continuous treatment process and missing out on a day’s medicine could prove to be fatal.

The patient might show unwillingness to take their medicine. That is a common scenario, especially in the case of dementia patients. You must do your best to convince them to take their prescription. However, try not to force them too much into taking it. You should not instill the fear of medicine in them. 

Consult a Doctor Immediately During Emergency Situations

Emergencies can arise at any time. You have to be prepared to take action right away under such circumstances. Dementia patients are prone to a lot of health and safety risks. It could be that they are having an allergic reaction to the medicine, or they fell while trying to walk. They will require urgent care in such situations.

The family member or nurses present with the patient must take them to a clinic or hospital. You must go for a same day doctor appointment. The patient needs to be treated immediately to avoid further problems in their health and physical well-being.

Do Not Behave Roughly With Them

As mentioned before, dealing with a dementia patient is going to be tough. Whenever you try to feed them or make them take medicine, they will try to avoid it. They might even behave aggressively with you. In some cases, patients might even attack you, if they do not trust you. 

Whatever happens, you cannot behave roughly with them. You have to think of these patients like children. They know no better at the state they are in. The only reason they will behave badly with you is if they are threatened by your presence. In such cases, you either need to try to calm them down or step away from them and let someone else take over.

Try to Understand What Triggers Them and What Makes Them Happy

People suffering from dementia get easily triggered. They will get annoyed at the slightest of discomforts. They will also get angry when things do not go their way. Hence, you must observe their tendencies. See what are the things that annoy or trigger dementia patients. Note those points down if necessary. Whoever goes to visit them should know of the things they are not supposed to say or do in front of the patient.

At the same time, you also need to know what makes them happy. You have to do what you can to keep them in high spirits. Never let them feel as if they were a burden to you.

That is all you need to know about taking care of dementia or Alzheimer’s patients. You should note that these methods are the absolute basics. Each patient will have different requirements. You need to learn their behavioral patterns and try to figure out how you can help them better. Doing that will take time. However, it is the only way to deal with dementia patients.