How Can I Help Someone with Dementia?

Caring for someone living with dementia can feel overwhelming at times, but your presence and support can make an extraordinary difference to their quality of life. Whether you're a family member, friend, or carer, understanding how to provide meaningful assistance whilst maintaining the person's dignity and independence is essential.

Below, we explore practical ways to support someone living with dementia, from creating a supportive environment to communicating effectively and managing daily activities with compassion.

What Does Meaningful Support Look Like?

Supporting someone living with dementia goes far beyond meeting their physical needs. It's about recognising the whole person – their history, preferences, and continuing capacity for joy and connection. Every individual living with dementia has unique needs and abilities, and the most effective support acknowledges this individuality. The foundation of good support lies in patience and understanding. Remember that behaviours associated with dementia are symptoms of the condition, not personal choices.

When someone repeats the same question multiple times or becomes confused about their surroundings, they're experiencing genuine difficulties that require compassionate responses. Creating predictable routines can provide comfort. Familiar patterns help reduce anxiety and confusion, allowing the person to feel more secure in their daily life. However, flexibility within these routines remains important, respecting the person's autonomy to make choices wherever possible.

How Can I Communicate More Effectively?

Communication with someone living with dementia requires thoughtful adjustments, but meaningful conversations remain entirely possible.

Speaking clearly and calmly, using shorter sentences, and allowing extra time for responses can significantly improve understanding. Non-verbal communication becomes increasingly important.

A warm smile, gentle touch, or reassuring tone can convey support when words become difficult. Maintain eye contact at the person's level – if they're seated, consider sitting down too. This simple gesture shows respect and helps establish connection. When confusion arises, resist the urge to correct or argue. Instead, focus on the emotions behind the words. If someone believes they need to collect their children from school, acknowledge their concern about their children's wellbeing rather than explaining that their children are now adults. Validation of feelings often matters more than factual accuracy.

Additionally, visual cues can enhance verbal communication. Pointing to objects you're discussing or using photographs to prompt memories can help bridge communication gaps. Remember to speak directly to the person, not about them, even if others are present.

What Practical Strategies Can Help with Daily Activities?

Supporting someone with daily activities requires a delicate balance between providing assistance and maintaining independence. Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps can help the person continue participating in activities they've always enjoyed.

Mealtimes

Eating and drinking can present various difficulties, but several strategies can help. Offering choices between two options rather than open-ended questions can reduce overwhelm – for instance, "Would you prefer chicken or fish?" rather than "What would you like for dinner?" Using contrasting colours for plates and tables can help with visual recognition, whilst maintaining familiar mealtime routines provides comfort.

Personal Care

Personal care requires particular sensitivity. Explain each step of the process as you go, maintaining the person's dignity throughout. Allowing them to do whatever they can independently, even if it takes longer, helps preserve their sense of self-worth. Consider their preferences – perhaps they've always preferred baths to showers, or liked to dress smartly even at home.

Creating a Supportive Environment

The physical environment plays a crucial role in supporting someone living with dementia. Good lighting reduces confusion and prevents falls, whilst clear pathways free from clutter promote safe movement. Labelling cupboards and drawers with both words and pictures can help maintain independence in finding everyday items. Consider removing mirrors if they cause distress – some people living with dementia may not recognise their reflection and become frightened. Similarly, patterns on carpets or wallpaper that could be misinterpreted (such as appearing to be obstacles or holes) might need addressing.

How Can I Look After Myself Whilst Caring?

Supporting someone living with dementia can be emotionally and physically demanding, making self-care essential rather than selfish.

Taking regular breaks, maintaining your own interests, and seeking support when needed ensures you can continue providing quality dementia care.

Connect with others who understand your experience. Support groups, whether in-person or online, offer valuable opportunities to share difficulties and solutions with people facing similar situations. Professional respite care services can provide essential breaks, allowing you to recharge whilst ensuring your loved one receives excellent care.

Professional dementia care services can complement family support, providing specialised expertise and additional resources that enhance quality of life for everyone involved.

Finding Joy in the Journey

At KYN, we understand that every person's journey with dementia is unique. Our approach honours individuality whilst providing expert support that enables people to live well with dementia. Through compassionate care and thoughtfully designed environments, we help maintain dignity, independence, and quality of life at every stage of the journey. If you're seeking exceptional dementia care for your loved one, contact us today - we'd be delighted to share more about how KYN can help.