Quality of Life (part 4)

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer's Care
Ethical Guidelines

What can be done to enhance the quality of life of people with Alzheimer's disease?
People with Alzheimer's disease are individuals and need to be treated with respect, integrity, compassion, dignity, and with concern for their privacy and safety. People with mild to moderate symptoms may need support in finding opportunities to enhance their quality of life. As the disease progresses, preserving the quality of life of the person with the disease will require the provision of appropriate social and physical environments.

Some key elements to consider include:

Learning about Alzheimer's disease, understanding how it progresses, and knowing how to communicate with the person with the disease; for instance, learning how a particular person's facial expressions convey emotions such as joy and fear.
Consulting the person to learn more about particular likes, dislikes and opinions; and, when the person is unable to communicate this, talking to someone close to the person who can.
Knowing the person and being aware of people, activities and things that are known to give pleasure to the person.
Providing the necessary support to preserve as much independence as possible.
Building on the person's strengths and abilities, and encouraging a sense of feeling useful and valued.
Giving the person opportunities to make choices.
Ensuring that the person's overall health is monitored and assessed, and that appropriate treatments are given. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease does not automatically prevent the presence of other health concerns and diseases. Failure to treat other illnesses can worsen the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Providing living space that is safe, familiar and provides a sense of security, while allowing the person to maintain remaining abilities.
Respecting the need for companionship, including physical intimacy. Relationships with family and friends should be fostered as much as possible.
Providing care that responds to each person's needs and focuses on abilities rather than losses.
Acknowledging and recognizing that the person's interests may change over time rather than trying to impose former values and expectations.
Ensuring that all who provide care for people with Alzheimer's disease recognize that people with the disease are to be valued and should be treated as individuals.
Recognizing that all actions and behaviours of people with the disease are meaningful and reflect a desire to communicate something.
Recognizing that the quality of life of the person with the disease is closely linked to the quality of life of the caregiver. As the disease progresses, the connection between the two becomes stronger.
What can be done to enhance the quality of life of people who provide care?
Strategies to enhance the caregiver's quality of life include:
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