HONOLULU (HI Now) - Founder & President of Alzheimer’s Caregiving & The Caregivers, Tony Vericella, shares three of the 10 guiding principles of caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
- Agree, never argue - Create a calm environment…avoid being confrontational. Your tone and volume are equally as important as your message…It’s not about who’s right…don’t try and prove your point…you might feel better, but it will not help your loved one. You will get frustrated or angry…but don’t demonstrate that in front of your loved one.
- Divert, never reason - Step into her world…logic means nothing, don’t get attached to it. If your loved one is agitated, emotionally upset, change the conversation, go to a different environment, suggest something you know that they will most likely enjoy.
- Distract, never shame - No matter what has occurred negatively in words or actions, don’t make anything into a big deal…it’s as if it didn’t happen...Change the narrative…bring their focus to something of enjoyment…Don’t let things escalate and get more unpleasant, control your frustration. You may need to repeat your messages and actions over and over again….embrace it…keep trying.
For more information, visit www.alzcaregiving.org.
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