Try: #discuss the following topics with the cr and make sure that what you say is clearly understood ##the cr’s belongings are important ##important items need to be stored in a proper place ##keeping and carrying belongings in plastic bags is not a good way to take care of them #let the cr chose certain items that can be carried in a small backpack and store the rest in drawers #take time once a week to talk to the cr about limiting the amount of items that are carried in the backpack go through the backpack and weed out any extra items that the cr may have put in it #the cr may switch out items that are carried in the backpack one week an item might be carried and the next week it might be stored in the drawer this is ok as long as the number of items carried in the backpack is reasonable #assure the cr that all the items are safe either in the drawers or backpack

Materials: Small backpack drawers

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Social, Independence, Some Supervision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: caregiver (cg) should narrate each aspect of the daily routine that is coming up and give step-by-step directions on performing each task the narration should be as simple as i’m going over to the closet now and getting your clothes for the day this will give the cr time to anticipate the next move and could ease fears and frustration cg should keep the tone of their voice soft and monotone so that not only the knowledge of the next step but the soothing quality of the cg’s voice will have a calming effect give cr time to adjust to each step before proceeding to the next one pause between steps cg can also try playing a sing along cd while performing a daily routine that is frustrating for the cr just singing along will distract the cr and speed up the daily routines

Materials: Scissors ruler piece of white cardboard highlighter pen pencil blank check caregiver to make template

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Personal, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: #a live-in caregiving spouse or family member may have the right to negotiate a change in spitting behavior in the basis of being offended but visiting caregivers may not have that privilege and so must be thoughtful in their approach to the issue for some crs spitting may be linked to a history of tobacco chewing or growing up where spitting was accepted #because spitting can expose caregivers and others to the cr cr’s body fluid saliva it is reasonable for a caregiver to use a barrier gloves when cleaning up after a cr who spits whether discarding a cup of saliva or mopping up a table or floor on which the cup has rested #give the cr disposable plastic cups to spit in as a way of safely and neatly handling the habit dispose of the cups frequently replacing them with fresh ones and keep the areas around the the cup clean #if the cr spits but doesn’t feel comfortable spitting directly into the cup give the cr tissues with lotion to spit into and either a cup or a small wastebasket lined with a plastic bag in which to dispose the of the tissues #if the cr is spitting on the floor set up the wastebasket and redirect him or her to spit into that rather than onto the floor periodically empty the wastebasket into the tub and rinse it with a household cleanser

Materials: Plastic cup latex or non-latex disposable gloves tissues with lotion small wastebasket and plastic bags if desired

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory, So-So L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Good S T Memory, So-So S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: #make a ‘talking stick’ out by painting a lightweight stick decoratively the talking stick can be used to symbolically show whose turn it is to speak #take advantage of a family or friends gatherings to have a small ceremonial conversation perhaps a grace before a meal during which each person says what he or she is thankful for or a birthday wish ritual in which people take turns making wishes for the birthday person #use the talking stick as a tool to show whose turn it is to speak explain at the beginning of the ritual you can think of it as a game that the person holding the stick is the person whose turn it is to speak and only that person can speak until he or she passes the stick to someone else #if you fear the dominant cr won’t stop talking once the stick is in his or her hands you may want to set a time limit for all speakers at the beginning of the game ask one person present agree to watch a clock or watch and track each speaker speaker’s time #through this ritual the cr may experience listening to others and develop the skill of give and take in conversation

Materials: Stick paint paintbrush clock or watch

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Social, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, Hearing, Good Hearing, Verbal Communication, Good Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: caregiver (cg) should try to focus on former activities interests and hobbies of cr this may involve asking various family members what the cr liked to be involved with create putter places for cr to reenact former hobbies and interests if cr was involved in kitchen activities or enjoyed baking clean out a cabinet and drawer and fill them with safe baking utensils dishes silverware recipe books etc cr may enjoy just organizing the different articles into the cabinet or moving articles from one cabinet to another or drawer to another in the process of organizing the kitchen if cr had a hobby that included working with tools or woodworking create a safe environment for cr to enjoy that hobby this could include several empty toolboxes and a variety of safe tools that can be organized in certain toolboxes or moved from toolbox to toolbox to organize a pegboard with hooks to hang the tools on could also be included woodworking tools could include blocks of different types of wood and sandpaper if cr enjoyed sewing or making crafts have several different types of fabric to sort fold or feel the texture of supply a box of different trims to match up with the fabrics craft items could be sorted as to size color or shape and placed in various containers if cr enjoyed office work a desk could be provided with an assortment of pens pencils and various note pads be sure and include an appointment book and a calendar

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Social, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: caregiver (cg) needs to assemble complete outfits including accessory items and hang all together on one hanger or if several hangers are needed use a twisty tie at the top to hook all the hangers together label each complete outfit with a sign attached to correspond to the day of the week and the date of the month hang a large calendar next to the closet cr can match up the date on the clothing with the day and date on the calendar cg may have to help days can then be checked off of the calendar this makes the decision pre-planned and also eliminates the cg having to be the bad guy by either hurrying the cr to make a decision or making it for them

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Personal, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: #make a plan to check on the cr more frequently that the cr calls for help if the cr calls out about twice an hour set a timer to go off four times an hour and check on the cr before or between his or her calls the frequency of the checks should lessen over time #when you check in on the cr see if the cr needs food liquid help getting to the bathroom a pill or a change of change of clothes ask if the cr needs a wet or soiled pad replaced is able to move comfortably under the covers etc if these things are taken care of on a regular basis the cr may feel less panicked when a need arises #let the cr know you need to move around the house but tell the cr you’ll check in at least twice an hour to see how he or she is doing show the cr your timer if you think seeing it will be reassuring to the cr #consider whether the cr would be happier moving with you as much as possible throughout the house you may need to place some chairs the cr can use safely in strategic locations the kitchen laundry area bedroom etc #a mobility aid might help the cr move safely around the home consider what is hard for the cr rising lowering sitting walking balancing etc and what aids might match the cr’s needs talk to the cr’s doctor or get a referral for the cr to see a physical therapist so the cr’s needs and options can be considered #a cr may call out urgently when the situation isn’t critical because of changes in communicative or cognitive abilities the cr may only be able to find a few words to let you know he or she is in distress always check to see if the cr’s physical needs are met #in addition to physical needs however the cr may be lonely and afraid when you can slow down to give the cr at least a few minutes at a time of your undivided caring attention your touch tone and body language are often important particularly to a cr who is losing memory and communication skills #if all else fails try connecting the cr to his or her favorite radio station or music with headphones some caregivers report that this sometimes reduces frequency of the cr’s calling-out

Materials: Timer for caregiver to carry or wear caregiver patience and creativity care schedule that includes frequent check-ins music player with headphones mobility aid if needed lift walker wheelchair cane transfer board gait belt etc consult with doctor and physical therapist if needed

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Emotional Psychological, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, So-So Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: #one cr may repeat a specific statement several times in several minutes while another may repeat an entire series of statements several times in an hour behaviors such as these may be linked to delirium dementia organic brain syndrome trauma acute anxiety or other medical or psychological conditions stress and substance abuse will usually aggravate the behavior #caregivers can help by fostering a positive environment limiting environmental stressors and stopping any of their own behaviors that support addictive or unnecessarily dependent behavior #the repetitive statements may stop if the cr’s condition is reversible; however if they are symptoms of a progressive disorder they may lead to further trouble with memory and communication #when a cr speaks repetitively offer a distracting activity based on your knowledge of what the cr’s interests and abilities are take a walk visit the library to get material related to a favorite hobby or subject or bake some pre-mixed cookie dough #be patient in some cases the cr will have very limited ability to learn new behavior if the cr is able to learn new behavior the caregiver might gently say you told me this story earlier today when were at the market shopping for vegetables giving the cr details about the first time he or she told the story may improve the cr’s ability to retrieve the memory of telling the story

Materials: Knowledge of cause of behavior knowledge of cr’s interests and abilities distracting activities caregiver with patience

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Independence, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, Poor Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: If at all possible caregiver (cg) should shut and lock the door to the cr’s room after cr gets dressed in the morning try to discover what prompts the cr to engage in this activity – are they hunting for a particular or favorite article of clothing or are they mimicking the former chore of doing the laundry and putting it away is cr trying to just keep busy if this is the case have a laundry basket of clothes or towels ready to fold within sight and point out an empty dresser drawer that the clothes need to go in

Materials: n/a

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Good Verbal Comm, So-So Verbal Comm, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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

Try: #crying and restless behavior may be the only way a cr lets a caregiver know that something is wrong respond to a cr’s cries by checking first on his or her physical condition #stick to a care routine that includes time in and out of the wheelchair while the cr is in the chair check periodically to make sure the cr is positioned safely and if the cr cries out from the chair see if the chair could be causing any pain or discomfort check the belt cushion and foot rests for safety make sure the chair is dry even with highly padded cushions a cr needs to shift positions and take breaks from sitting in the chair restlessness may be a sign of back pain pressure building on thighs and legs or general discomfort from sitting too long #limit loud noises as much as possible #keep an activity bag on hand at home and away fill the bag with items that can soothe amuse interest or distract the cr include a small memory book portable music player favorite books or magazines the cr can look at or have read and a familiar soft sweater or lap quilt also include picture cards with interesting images and colors #make picture cards by cutting pictures of things you think the cr will enjoy looking at out of magazines and pasting them onto index cards to make the cards very attractive use scrapbook scissors to cut the pictures out and paste them on to heavy paper you can have pre-cut at a copy shop #remember that the cr may no longer be interested in images related to previous work or hobbies if dementia is advancing images with cultural symbolism such as those of weddings farms transport vehicles families and objects such as buttons doors tools or clothes may have more meaning to a cr than specific people or belongings related to the cr #an activity bag may be useful but just as important is a caregiver who is attentive and responds when an environment is becoming stressful to a cr

Materials: Activity bag shoulder bag or knapsack caregiver can easily carry memory book of family photos cr’s favorite music portable music player picture cards cr’s favorite books or magazines familiar soft sweater or lap quilt

Categories: Behavior Challenging, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Social, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, Maximum Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

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