When someone that you love and that you take care of has memory issues that can change caregiving a bit for you. These tips can help.
Reality and Logic Are not Always Important
It feels important to make sure your senior is grounded in the here and now for a lot of caregivers. But the problem with that philosophy is that your aging adult is not in a realm of reality. Rational logic doesn’t work in her mind right now and when you try to force it, you tend to upset the apple cart more than anything else.
A Fib Now and Again Can Help
Along with that same line of thought, a little judicious fibbing now and again can make all of the difference. Is it more important for you to be right, or for your aging family member to be calm and happy? In a lot of situations, going along with whatever reality she’s sharing with you can be that difference.
Your Family Member Will Seem Normal Occasionally There are going to be times in which your aging adult is going to have some lucid moments. Those are going to remind you exactly what your senior used to be like and the great times that you had. Those moments are likely to be fleeting, especially as her memory loss progresses. It’s normal for you to feel confused by these moments, but they’re not the entirety of your family member’s existence right now.
You Can’t Do it All Alone
At some point, every caregiver believes that they can go it alone and do all of the things. Unfortunately, you’re only one person. You need to have help and if that’s not in the form of other family members who can pitch in, then it’s time to hire elderly care providers who can help. They have experience in dealing with memory issues, too, so they can give you tailored help that meets the needs of your senior’s situation.
You’re Not Going to Be Perfect
It’s also really common for caregivers to want to be perfect at this caregiving thing. But perfection is not something you’re going to be able to attain, no matter how hard you try. You need to be okay with doing the best that you can every single day. Give yourself some space to enjoy the time that you have with your senior.
Every day is a little bit different, even when they start to feel the same to you. In the end, it’s important that you’re taking care of yourself and of your aging adult. Don’t pressure yourself to do more than you can do and take everything one step at a time.
Excerpt: When you’re a caregiver to someone with memory issues, there’s a lot that you’re juggling.
