Dementia Support and Staying Positive During Difficult Times
We are living in a time where scary and terrible things are happening in our world due to natural disasters and political and social turmoil. When caring for someone with cognitive challenges, minimizing stress and anxiety helps to create a healthier emotional environment for all.
So how can you stay positive when life seems so challenging? When caring for someone living with dementia we not only need to protect ourselves, we have a responsibility to protect our family member who has difficulty processing information.
Below are tips to help stay positive when caring for a someone living with dementia when times seem so difficult.
- Creating joyful and meaningful shared experiences can help shift fearful feelings to more positive feelings and promote well-being.
- Practicing mindfulness and living in the moment can help focus your attention and enjoy the “precious present.”
- Research shows practicing gratitude when times are tough can help acknowledge the good things in your life.
- People with dementia can be easily confused about news stories they hear or see on the television. Disturbing videos or stories can be confusing for a person with dementia and the person may think the event is happening down the street or at family members house, living in another state.
- People living with confusion the ability of discussing events thoughtfully is impossible. This can result in anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, and even nightmares.
- People with memory loss will experience the bad event as if it were the first time they hear it every time. Be mindful of not sharing frightening or disturbing information repeatedly.
- Watching comedies, nature shows, or vintage movies with your loved one can offer opportunities to connect and share joyful moments.
If you would like more information on our Memory Ministry, Memory Cafe, or support trainings we offer, please contact Vicky Pitner at vpitner@firstumc.org