What is Alzheimer’s disease? It is a disease that causes the brain cells to degenerate and eventually die. It causes behavioral, emotional, and mental changes as it progresses. Sadly, Alzheimer’s doesn’t have a cure, but the good news is that there are ways that you can deal with the situation. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to accept that you or the person you love is having Alzheimer, but, with the following tips, you can be able to live a happy life.
1. Accept the situation
It is typical for a patient or even the caregiver to be in denial the first time they get diagnosed with the disease or hear their loved one has the disease. However, it is best to accept it as soon as possible. This is so because the moment you continue denying, the more you will be making the situation worse; you can get stressed and eventually depressed. Therefore, accept the inevitable and move on with life.
2. Learn more about the disease
The other thing that you need to do is to get more information about Alzheimer’s. This will, in turn, help you plan on how you will deal with the situation with time. While some behavioral patterns may get you by surprise, most of the changes that occur, you will have already known about them. There are tons of information about the same on the internet that will guide you, and you can always consult your doctor who can advise you on a much personal level.
Get more tips by joining an online Alzheimer’s Association community, where others living with Alzheimer’s share their tips, experiences, and support.Alzheimer’s Association
3. Come up with a routine
People with Alzheimer’s work best with a method in place. Remember, some of the tasks that they were used to doing before are not as easy to them now. As such, ensure that you keep things simple and stick to a particular routine every single day. Doing this will help you cope with the changes smoothly and be able to move on. Take some time and identify some of the tasks that are proving to be a challenge, then write them down. After that, you can come up with a schedule. However, if you are finding a hard time doing so, feel free to ask your family members to help you out.
4. Join a support group
Dealing with some changes might be difficult. However, joining a support group can help you accept the changes better and give you ideas on how to cope with them. Being in an environment where everyone is optimistic has a positive impact on your life. Besides, you can also find a lot of fun things to do while in the support groups.
5. Create a safe environment
Noises and movements tend to affect and overwhelm people with Alzheimer’s. As a caregiver, ensure that you create a conducive environment that will make them feel safe and less distracted. Keep them off from noisy and crowded places, focus on one activity at a time, and always be optimistic.
