Coping with Alzheimer’s-Related Memory Loss

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is a frightening one considering how the disease progresses. While the struggles along the way might be embarrassing, it’s important to keep family members and caregivers involved from the beginning. 

Accepting the diagnosis and the reality of the future is an important step in the process. Acceptance will allow for careful planning of activities and gaining new skills to facilitate coping in the future. These skills will enable a person to stay active and engaged in daily life. Acceptance will allow him or her to feel in control of life. Control is important as there are so many aspects of daily life that are taken away, such as solo trips to the grocery store, driving and maybe even living independently.

Once the diagnosis has been accepted, there are several methods that can be helpful in coping with it:

• Accept help from others. Independence is hard to relinquish, but accepting help from family members and caregivers will make things easier.
• Some people use sticky notes as reminders of things that might be forgotten and are daily activities.
• Approach tasks one by one. Not everything needs to be done at once, and if you get stuck with something that has become too difficult, walk away and take a break. It can be done later.
• Figure out the cause of stress. Don’t let people rush you along.  Voice your concerns and allow extra time for things to be completed.
• Make a daily routine and try to stay with it. Following a schedule helps ensure that things aren’t forgotten and provides a source of stability. Completing something is an accomplishment, and it gives a rewarding feeling.
• Regular exercise will aid in developing new brain cells. Exercise also is effective in managing stress and alleviating anxiety and depression, which leads to a healthier brain.
• Although it may become difficult to have a regular sleeping pattern, proper sleep is necessary for forming memories and storing new memories so they can be easily retrieved. When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, memory becomes worse and concentration becomes more difficult. This can lead to depression.

Remember that there is help available in different forms, such as forums, support groups, educational programs, and safety tools. Approved Home Health provides care that allows clients to remain in the home and offers relief to primary caregivers. Call today for your complimentary in-home nursing assessment at 941-870-8740.