If you have a senior parent who has Alzheimer’s and they want to continue living at home routines can be very helpful to them. Establishing routines will help your mom or dad feel more secure and comfortable at home. Having routines will also help your mom or dad cope as their Alzheimer’s progresses. As Alzheimer’s progresses it can make seniors feel confused and disoriented. They may not be able to keep track of time or days. Alzheimer’s home care services are a great way to provide support for your mom or dad who is struggling with Alzheimer’s.
As a result of having Alzheimer’s, they often can’t remember when it’s time to eat, time to sleep, or time to do other things. They don’t have a framework of time to orient themselves throughout the day. When that happens having routines can make them feel oriented again.
Alzheimer’s home care provides the consistency and routine that your senior parent will rely on as their condition progresses.
Some of the routines that Alzheimer’s home care can help your mom or dad establish are:
Mealtimes
Having set mealtimes is essential if your mom or dad has Alzheimer’s. As time goes by, your parent won’t be able to recognize their body’s signal for hunger. So, they won’t know when they’re hungry. Seniors can end up skipping meals for days if they don’t have set meal times because they won’t ask for food. If they don’t know they’re hungry or can’t express they’re hungry they just won’t eat.
Having set mealtimes created by Alzheimer’s home care, sets a type of muscle memory for your mom or dad. Even if they don’t know what the time is on the clock when a meal is served they know they are supposed to sit down and eat at that time every day. Having set mealtimes helps ensure that your mom or dad is eating healthy meals regularly.
Hygiene
Your mom or dad also needs a hygiene routine. For example, they should be washing their face and brushing their teeth every morning after they get up. They should be bathing or showering on the same days and at the same times every week.
Just like with meals, this consistency creates something that your mom or dad can rely on to orient them. Your mom or dad may need Alzheimer’s home care to help them with hygiene tasks and bathing.
Getting Dressed
Getting dressed each day will give your mom or dad a sense of purpose. It signals that the day has started. And if your senior parent has an appointment that day they will need to be ready to leave the house. The routine of getting dressed at the same time each day will help your mom or dad know when it’s day and when it’s the night after they reach the point where they can’t recognize day and night any longer. Alzheimer’s home care can be there to assist them.
Bedtime
Having a bedtime routine is very important for seniors with Alzheimer’s. Sleep is a time for the brain to reset and process all the events of the day. For seniors with Alzheimer’s, winding down and getting ready for bed at the same time each night will help them relax and fall asleep.
Activities
Seniors with Alzheimer’s also should have a routine for doing activities like playing games, doing crafts, or doing movement games, and occupational therapy.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care Services in San Diego CA, please call the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
Canaan Home Care – A Premier Provider of Senior Home Care in the La Jolla, Del Mar, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin, and Manhattan Beach areas.
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