Dementia is not only extremely difficult to handle but also exceedingly difficult to understand in the first place. Dealing with people suffering from Dementia can be very challenging, however, it can be managed effectively by following these guidelines.
Keep the patient active
Keeping the victim of Dementia mentally active most of the time in the day, can really work wonders. Keep the patient engaged in creatively fruitful activities such as painting, solving puzzles, reading mystery stories etc. Give him or her tasks that will force his or her brain to think more and remember better and for a longer period of time. The more the patient of Dementia utilizes his or her mind power, the less he or she is likely to sink into the abyss of forgetfulness.
Haste makes waste
Haste is an absolute no for the patient of Dementia. If a certain task takes one minute for a normal person to complete, remember it will take ten times longer for a victim of Dementia to do the same task. Therefore, if the task is such that it requires speed, accuracy and perfection without any loss of time, then please do not assign it to the patient of Dementia, because it will only complicate the matter further rather than making him feel reassured and boost his or her self confidence.
Keep the ambiance cheerful
You will have to work hard towards keeping the mood, the surroundings and the decor as much upbeat and cheerful as possible. Do not let melancholy set in. If there is any potentially distressing issue you need to talk about then choose the right time to do so. More often than not, a Dementia patient tends to remember more clearly and categorically negative things than positive. So, you need to be very selective in your words and the way you communicate the message.
