Caring for Your Loved One

If you didn´t understand Shakespeare, there was always Coles Notes.

Now caregivers who face the daily challenge of looking after a relative or spouse with Alzheimer´s or other dementia, have their own Coles Notes -- Caring for Your Loved One (2nd Canadian Edition). The indispensable educational guide is produced by health care professionals at Baycrest.

"Many seniors with dementia still live at home," says Bianca Stern, Director of Occupational Therapy at Baycrest. "Their families, especially the primary caregiver, need information on what changes to expect in their loved one, how to deal with those changes, and where to go for help."

While there is a lot of very good information available to caregivers through a variety of community resources, it can be overwhelming to navigate the system, says Stern. What was needed was a handy resource book that would consolidate all the useful information.

Caring for Your Loved One offers practical advice and strategies for both caregivers and frontline health care professionals. Like the first edition, the revised edition has color-coded sections that make it easy to navigate and quickly go to a particular topic. Among the topics covered:

understanding the stages of dementia
how to communicate with a person who has dementia
how to cope with the activities of daily living, such as dressing, eating, medication and handling difficult behaviors.

As a result of caregiver feedback, five new chapters have been added: sex and intimacy, leisure activities, falls prevention, navigating the system, and nourishing the spirit. The guide also includes a companion resource booklet listing services and programs that are available in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as internet resources and helpful books.

Caring for Your Loved One (2nd Canadian Edition) is a non-profit, educational product. The book and companion resource guide are available through Baycrest for $26 (plus tax and postage) by calling 416-785-2500, ext. 2424. The book and companion resource guide are also sold separately for $19.95 and $6.95 respectively.

Practical tips from the guide - Caring for Your Loved One

Dressing and Grooming
Label drawers and doors. Use pictures or labels. This will help the person to find what she or he is looking for.

Buy clothes that are easy to put on, such as track suits, cardigans or pants with elastic waists. Stay away from small buttons, laces and small zippers.

Limit choices of clothes. This reduces confusion, but still allows your loved one to choose.

Effective Communication
Get the person´s attention. Approach the person slowly and from the front. Gently touch his/her arm or hand and make eye contact. Say his/her name. Wait until your loved one is ready to listen before talking.

Speak slowly and clearly. Use simple one step commands with simple words that the person can understand. Repeat important information.

Meal Time
Try to eat at the same time each day and in the same place. Create a quiet, unrushed environment. Turn off the radio and TV. Try not to interrupt the person with small talk or a lot of questions.

Keep the plate simple. Introduce one food item at a time. When one course is finished, introduce the next item.

Safety and the Home Environment
Install night lights and/or motion sensitive lighting to light pathways at night to prevent falls. Clear pathways and remove clutter such as low furniture and shoes.

Clearly identify doors to rooms that are needed daily, such as the "bathroom". Try placing a sign or picture of a toilet on the door. Painting the door or door frame a bright or contrasting color may also work to help the person identify it.