Helping Your Loved One With Alzheimer

Forgetting is a natural part of aging, not remembering the little things, the big things to follow, but when a person has Alzheimer's or any other number of mental degeneration that causes them to forget, it can be a trying thing on loved ones and something that really takes a toll on those around them. There are some ways to help cope with this problem, however, with patience, with fortitude and with undying love that looks it all in the face without cringing. Whenever Alzheimer's comes around, it has early onset on the mind and can cause people to exhibit the normal signs of forgetting.

When this begins to happen, you will notice your loved one forgetting things that seem normal for one getting on in their years to forget. They might tell you the same story over and over again, not having any recollection that they once told it, or they might forget the date or where they put something like their car keys, or whether they locked the front door. These little things might cause you to get really impatient and frustrated, especially if you hear the same tale over and over or if you suffer some personal time delays or burglary when they forget to lock the door.

But, just remember that you must be compassionate and show some love and support no matter what things happen, because your elderly loved one needs to be shown the same love and support and kindness that he or she gave you all of your younger years. So, gently remind them of things, such as gently pointing out that they told you this story before, or kindly saying here are your keys, or not being harsh when you tell them to please remember to lock the door. Instead, make life a bit easier for them by making a designated place for their keys or putting a sign on the door reminding them to lock it.

As the years go on, they will forget even bigger things, like what year they are in or sometimes who they are or where they even are. This might alarm you but again, showing compassion and patience is the only way to effectively help your loved one through this befuddling time. They won't know what is going on and it will be hard for them to handle all of this, but that is why you need to be patient and help them through it with kindness and love and support. At this stage, too, it might help for them to have a home care assistant living with them, if you cannot stay with them yourself, and having someone watch them at all times because it is at this stage of the dementia that they will wander out of the house and get lost, all because they are too confused about their surroundings or where they are or what is going on. Being there for your elderly loved one is an essential way of helping them know they are not alone in this and that they have somewhere to turn no matter what.