With Alzheimer’s it becomes increasingly difficult to remember what to do. The question is therefore how you can live independently if you have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline. There are methods to organize your life in such a way that you can continue to live independently in a safe and reliable manner for a long time. However, this requires additional effort from those around you, whereby everyone is and remains in routine contact with the sick person. What are the tips for living a normal life with Alzheimer’s?
Living with Alzheimer’s
- Help for independent living with Alzheimer’s and tips
- How can you deal with your memory problems?
- How can a day best be planned?
- How can communication be made easier?
- How do you avoid getting lost?
- Driving
- How can you take good care of yourself at home?
- How can you continue to do your responsibilities?
Help for independent living with Alzheimer’s and tips
Living with Alzheimer’s can be quite a challenge, especially if you live alone. You remember things poorly and making decisions becomes more difficult. Life can be quite frustrating. What can you do to deal with the disease well, so that you can still live independently? What are the helpful tips and what things can you do to make life easier for yourself?
How can you deal with your memory problems?
If you suffer from mild cognitive decline, it is difficult to remember things. It’s time to always have a pen and paper at hand. Here are some tips:
- Take a notebook with you so you can always write down important information. This includes telephone numbers, names, ideas, appointments, your address and directions to your home;
- place important telephone numbers in large printed format next to the telephone;
- stick labels around the house to remember things. Label drawers and cupboards so that you immediately know what the contents are with a word or picture. You can also use a labeler or label maker for this;
- ask a friend or family member to call you to remind you to do important things. Think of food, medication and appointments. You can also make good use of the medication intake apps for this purpose;
- put a label on photos of people you see regularly;
- use a centrally located calendar to remember important dates and maintain a sense of time;
- monitors voicemail messages by using an answering machine or possibly cell phone.
How can a day best be planned?
It is important that you continue to do things that you enjoy doing. Hobbies and visiting good friends are fun activities. Entertainment makes time pass faster. If you feel good, work will also be easier. Make sure you give yourself time to do things at your own pace and don’t let others feel rushed. If an activity is too difficult, you can take a break yourself. Rest can also restart the thinking capacity. It is important that there is a certain schedule and regularity in the activities you do per day and per week. A central theme every day, around which the rest of the day is planned, often works best.
How can communication be made easier?
The world moves on quickly and people you want to communicate with have a different rhythm than you. How can you ensure better communication?:
- ask the person you are talking to to speak more slowly, or to repeat it again so that you understand;
- always make sure you take the time to talk. Don’t be pressured to speak quickly because you won’t get the words out that way;
- When you talk to someone, do so in a quiet place so that you are not too distracted. A quiet calming park is better than a busy shopping center.
How do you avoid getting lost?
The easiest way not to get lost is to ask someone if they want to go with you. If there is no one who can go with you, limit the travel distance to what you know. This means the area and space where you are every day. If you are unsure, ask for help by explaining that you have a memory problem. It is always necessary that you have a notepad with you with the address written in it, so that you can always come home. If you are going somewhere far away, always take clear directions with you and ask for help with transportation if possible.
Driving
Driving a car can be a serious problem for Alzheimer’s patients. Here are some tips you can consider:
- if you are prone to becoming confused or lost, consider using other modes of transportation;
- have someone drive you if you have to go somewhere. It is therefore important that you schedule your appointment at a time when your driver is available;
- drive a car only in the areas that are familiar to you;
- ask for advice about what local means of transport and services are available. Your family and friends can help you with this;
A doctor or the CBR will assess your circumstances to determine whether you are still fit to drive a car. You should bear in mind that at some point you will no longer be allowed to drive a car.
How can you take good care of yourself at home?
To ensure that you can take good care of yourself at home, you should introduce a number of measures early so that they are done and used routinely:
- ask a friend or family member to help organize your closets and drawers to make it easier for you to find things;
- ask a trusted neighbor to keep a set of house keys;
- your local Alzheimer’s organization or your doctor can help tell you how to get help with shopping, housework, meals (including meals delivered to your home), and transportation;
- have things checked in and around the house such as electrical appliances, the post and perishable food;
- keep a list of important emergency numbers near the phone;
- have family, friends, or a community program visit or call you daily to make sure you are okay.
How can you continue to do your responsibilities?
Ensure that deposits and payments are made automatically. Inform your bank that you are having difficulty controlling your account. Have your family member assist you so that your finances are in order. You also need to realize that at some point it may be too difficult and possibly too dangerous to live independently. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, the patient can continue to live independently in a safe and responsible manner with sufficient support from family and friends. As the disease worsens, you should consider living with your family or being placed in a retirement home.
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