Can We Talk?

As Alzheimer's Disease progresses, your loved one will probably have trouble understanding what is happening and what is expected of him or her. Your loved onel will not be able to effectively communicate emotions or thoughts; this can be very frustrating for both your loved one and you. Here's a few tips you may want to try to improve communication between the two of you:

• Speak directly to your loved one and look directly at him or her to ensure you are heard.
  Speak slowly and in a calm tone of voice.
• Use short sentences with only one idea in each. Instead of confusing your loved one by asking what he or she wants, use declarative sentences like, "It's time to eat now." Ask yes or no questions.
• Try not to discuss topics that your loved one can no longer remember. Encourage talk of familiar things and times.
• Eliminate distractions, such as noise and activities when speaking. It may be difficult for your loved one to hear you.
• Pay attention to your loved one's nonverbal cues and facial expressions.

Why is Bathing So Difficult?

People with Alzheimer's Disease sometimes have difficulty remembering good hygiene and may refuse to bathe. Bathing may have become too complicated to complete. Your loved one may fear water or feel a loss of privacy. If your loved one has vision problems, this can make it difficult to distinguish the shape of the tub or shower. Your loved one may have forgotten how to operate a faucet or may no longer remember how to bathe. As Alzheimer's disease progresses, poor coordination can add to your loved one's fear.

• Try to avoid discussing the need for a bath, but simply state, “It's bath time." This can be more effective if you establish a routine for a bathing time and place. So try to do that as well.
• Try labeling toiletry items to help your loved one identifyand use them appropriately. 
• Remember to remove the lock from the bathroom door.
• Put away potentially dangerous items such as razors and electrical appliances, such as a hair dryer.
• You may also want to lock cabinets.

Urinating in Odd Places

One of the reasons that people with Alzheimer's Disease urinate in places other than their bathromm is that they can't find the bathroom. Here are a few tips:

• Try posting a sign on the bathroom door that says "Bathroom".

• Try posting a sign on the toilet seat lid that says "Toilet".

Dementia signage can be very useful in the early and mid stages of the disease for helping a loved one identify places and things in their homes.

See other Bathroom Signage

Avoiding Family Feuds

Here are a few tips you can use to try to avoid family feuds over caring for Mom or Dad:

• Plan regular face-to-face family meetings. Include everyone who's part of the caregiving team, including family friends and other close contacts.

• During family meetings, discuss each person's caregiving responsibilities and challenges — and make changes as needed. Be open to compromise and possibilities you hadn't considered on your own.

• If time, distance or other logistical problems are issues for certain family members, consider conference calls or video conferencing. You might also share email updates with the entire family, send updates through Twitter or start a family blog.

• If your family meetings tend to turn into arguments, consider asking a counselor, social worker, mediator or other professional to moderate.

"Off to Work!"

If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's who tends to wander off at the same time every moring, you nay want to consider having him or her wear a "Belt Loop ID" to ensure others can identify him or her. An ID Badge may "make more sense" to your loved one if he or she is still very much work centered. You may not have as much convincing to do to get your loved one to put it on every day as part of his or her "work garb," especially if your loved one is used to wearing an ID Badge at work.

Belt Loop ID

Refuses To Brush Teeth

For a person with Alzheimer's, simple tasks become extremely difficult as a result of memory loss. Your loved one may refuse to brush his or her teeth because he or she has forgotten how to.

You might try:

• Providing short, simple instructions. “Brush your teeth” may be too difficult. Instead try: “hold your  toothbrush,” “put paste on the brush” and “brush your top teeth,” etc.
 
• Using  a mirroring technique. Hold a brush and show your loved one how to brush his or her teeth.

• Use a mirroring technique. Hold a brush and show the individual how to brush his or her teeth.

Trouble Completing Bathroom Routine

As Alzheimer's progresses, your loved one may have trouble completing his or her daily bathroom routine. He or she may seem confused or frustrated and as a result, refuse to bathe or groom. Try posting this Bathroom Routine Activity Checklist on your loved one's bathroom wall where he can see it to help him remember how to do his bathroom routine independently.

Bathroom Routine Activity Checklist (for Men) Wall Decal