Stress management is an important skill for caregivers caring for a Care recipient (cr) the following are common stress management tips

Try: Express your feelings instead of bottling them up if the cr is causing the situation communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way if you don’t voice your feelings to the cr resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same this can be difficult depending on the cr but at least one attempt is often needed be willing to compromise when you ask someone to change their behavior be willing to do the same be willing to work with the cr on certain issues be more assertive don’t take a backseat in your own life deal with problems head on doing your best to anticipate and prevent them be respectful and proper but don’t let the cr push you around manage your time better poor time management can cause a lot of stress when you’re stretched too thin and running behind it’s hard to stay calm and focused plan ahead and stay on schedule

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Stress stress management

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Managing conflict is important for a caregiver caring for a Care recipient (cr) stress can be a serious issue with caregivers attempting to resolve conflict the following are signs if stress is a potential problem with the caregiver

Try: Stress interferes with the ability to resolve conflict by limiting your ability to accurately read another person person’s nonverbal communication hear what someone is really saying be aware of your own feelings further stress may be a problem in your life if you often feel tense or tight somewhere in your body you’re not aware of movement in your chest or stomach when you breathe conflict absorbs your time and attention

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Stress conflict resolution conflict

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

One of the ways the Care recipient (cr) can potentially prevent dementia is through mental exercise those who continue learning new things throughout life and challenging their brains are less likely to develop alzheimer’s disease and dementia so make it a point to stay mentally active activities involving multiple tasks or requiring communication interaction and organization are best for mental stimulation

Try: Learn something new study a foreign language learn sign language practice a musical instrument read the newspaper or a good book or take up a new hobby new activities stimulate the brain differently practice memorization start with something short progressing to something a little more involved have the cr sreate rhymes and patterns to strengthen brain pathways enjoy strategy games puzzles and riddles brain teasers and strategy games provide a great mental workout and build r capacity to form and retain cognitive associations have the cr play a board game or do a cross word practice the 5 w’s observe and report like a crime detective keep a who what where when and why list of daily experiences at the end of the day follow the road less traveled take a new route eat with your non-dominant hand rearrange your computer file system varying habits can be an important brain activity

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Dementia memory mental

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Reading nonverbal communication and body language is essential to effectively communicate with the Care recipient (cr) often a cr may struggle with traditional forms of communication so nonverbal can play an even larger role than usual the following are tips for evaluating nonverbal communication with the cr

Try: Eye contact is eye contact being made if so is it overly intense or just right facial expression focus on the cr cr’s face is it masklike and unexpressive or emotionally present and filled with interest tone of voice does their voice project warmth confidence and interest or is it strained and blocked posture and gesture are their bodies relaxed or stiff and immobile are shoulders tense and raised or slightly sloped touch is there any physical contact is it appropriate to the situation does it make you feel uncomfortable intensity do they seem flat cool and disinterested or over-the-top and melodramatic timing and pace is there an easy flow of

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Social

Information: Back and forth do nonverbal responses come too quickly or too slowly sounds do you hear sounds that indicate caring or concern information

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Communication body language nonverbal

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

One of the ways the Care recipient (cr) can potentially prevent dementia is through mental exercise those who continue learning new things throughout life and challenging their brains are less likely to develop alzheimer’s disease and dementia so make it a point to stay mentally active activities involving multiple tasks or requiring communication interaction and organization are best for mental stimulation

Try: Learn something new study a foreign language learn sign language practice a musical instrument read the newspaper or a good book or take up a new hobby new activities stimulate the brain differently practice memorization start with something short progressing to something a little more involved have the cr sreate rhymes and patterns to strengthen brain pathways enjoy strategy games puzzles and riddles brain teasers and strategy games provide a great mental workout and build r capacity to form and retain cognitive associations have the cr play a board game or do a cross word practice the 5 w’s observe and report like a crime detective keep a who what where when and why list of daily experiences at the end of the day follow the road less traveled take a new route eat with your non-dominant hand rearrange your computer file system varying habits can be an important brain activity

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Dementia mental exercise dementia prevention

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Reading the care recipient’s cr body language and nonverbal communication is crucial for the caregiver after practice and experience it should become easier to read the cr the following are tips for reading body language and nonverbal communication

Try: Pay attention to inconsistencies nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said is the person is saying one thing and their body language something else for example is the cr saying yes but his body language indicates reservation look at nonverbal communication signals as a group don’t read too much into a single gesture or nonverbal cue consider all of the nonverbal signals you are receiving from eye contact to tone of voice and body language taken together make sure the nonverbal cues consistent, or inconsistent, match up with what the cr is actively saying trust your instincts don’t dismiss your gut feelings if you get the sense that someone isn’t being honest or that something isn’t adding up you may be picking up on a mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues this may be a sign that you should monitor the cr more closely to see if this behavior continues

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Social

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Body language nonverbal communication

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Although common in many care recipients cr memory loss can sometimes be prevented diet has a significant impact on health including mental health a diet based on fruits vegetables whole grains and healthy fats will provide lots of health benefits but such a diet can also improve memory the following are foods and supplements to

Try: And prevent memory loss materials try get your omega-3s fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3 especially cold water fatty fish such as salmon tuna halibut trout mackerel sardines and herring in addition to boosting brainpower eating fish may also lower the risk of developing alzheimer’s disease if you’re not a fan of fish consider turning to fish oil supplements other non-fish sources of omega-3s include walnuts ground flaxseed flaxseed oil pumpkin seeds and soybeans limit saturated fat research shows that diets high in saturated fat increase the risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory the primary sources of saturated far are animal products red meat whole milk butter cheese sour cream and ice cream eat more fruit and vegetables colorful fruits and vegetables are particularly good antioxidant superfood sources try leafy green vegetables such as spinach broccoli romaine lettuce swiss chard and arugula and fruit such as apricots mangoes cantaloupe and watermelon drink wine or grape juice in moderation keeping your alcohol consumption in check is key since alcohol kills brain cells in moderation alcohol may actually improve memory and cognition red wine appears to be the best option as it boosts blood flow in the brain and reduces the risk of alzheimer’s disease other good options include grape juice cranberry juice fresh grapes and berries and peanuts

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Dementia memory loss diet

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

One of the key ways to prevent vascular dementia is to reduce the risk of stroke the following are tips for the Care recipient (cr) to reduce her risk of stroke

Try: Check blood pressure levels listen to the doctor’s advice on lowering blood pressure find out from a doctor if the cr is at risk for atrial fibrillation stop smoking reduce alcohol intake check cholesterol levels lower cholesterol levels if needed if diabetic follow the doctor doctor’s recommendations carefully to control the diabetes include exercisein your daily routine enjoy a lower sodium salt lower fat diet note if the cr shows any of the signs for vascular dementia contact a doctor immediately

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Dementia dementia prevention

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Caring for others often places large amounts of stress on the caregiver when you are a caregiver finding time to for yourself is difficult if you don’t find time for yourself you risk you physical and mental health give yourself permission to rest and to do things that you enjoy on a daily basis you will be a better caregiver for it the following are tips for helping the caregiver take care of herself

Try: Incorporate activities that give you pleasure even when you don’t really feel like it listen to music work in the garden engage in a hobby joy that you pamper yourself from time to time take a warm bath and light candles find some time for a manicure or a massage eat balanced meals to nurture your body find time to exercise even if it it’s a short walk everyday get an adequate amount of sleep at night laughter really is the best medicine buy a light-hearted book or rent a comedy whenever you can try to find some humor in everyday situations arrange a telephone contact with a family member a friend or a volunteer from a church or senior center so that someone calls each day to be sure everything is all right try to set a time for afternoons or evenings out seek out friends and family to help you so that you can have some time away from the home

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Caregiver burnout dementia

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Dementia risk in care recipients cr can be reduced through exercise in addition to protecting against alzheimer’s and dementia regular exercise reduces stress boosts mood improves memory and increases energy additionally regular exercise can also slow further deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems the following are tips for getting the cr started with and continuing an exercise plan

Try: Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times per week try walking swimming or any other activity that gets the heart rate up build muscle to pump up the brain moderate levels of weight and resistance training not only increase muscle mass they help maintain brain health include balance and coordination exercises head injuries from falls are an increasing risk as the cr grows older which in turn increase the risk for alzheimer’s disease and dementia balance and coordination exercises can help the stay agile and avoid spills stick with it for a month it takes approximately 28 days for a new routine to become habit once the cr gets over this hump keeping up an exercise routine will feel natural protect against head injuries studies suggest that head trauma at any point in life significantly increases the risk of alzheimer’s disease this includes repeated hits in sports activities such as football soccer and boxing or one-time injuries from a bicycle skating or motorcycle accident it is important to protect the head brain throughout life

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: Helpguide org

Keywords: Dementia exercise

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed