Do you have someone in your home who is starting to show signs of dementia? You may have noticed how quickly they get frustrated and how hard normal activities have become. You can help by making your house more dementia friendly to make day to day life a little more comfortable for them.
1. Your Windows
CBD oil isn’t the only thing that helps regulate your body, sunlight does, too! Using natural light throughout the day can help lift the spirits of your loved one and help them remain more active. Make sure that there is enough light coming in because many people with dementia can have a loss of vision which makes the room darker than it actually is. When it’s dark out, close the curtains to avoid any reflection scares, and it can also help indicate that it is night time. This routine can help them get into a comfortable sleeping schedule, as well.
2. Indoor Lighting
Try to have your rooms well lit and get rid of as many shadows as possible. The dark spots can make your loved one uncomfortable which over time can become an unsettling panic. Make sure to have the areas where they are doing activities well lit like on a desk or table, so they don’t have the added frustration of visibility impairments when trying to complete tasks.
3. Make Lists
Next to your house phone, make a list of names and numbers for your loved one to use. You can even go a step further and add pictures so you can eliminate as much confusion as possible. If they make their own breakfast drink like coffee or tea, put a list of ingredients so they know what recipe will give them the drink they are so used to. Anytime there are steps involved, having a list nearby is sure to help.
4. Make A Calendar
Routine is essential when caring for someone with dementia. Make a calendar or activity board for your loved one that you both can go over every day. This can help them be prepared for what is to come during the day as well as remind them in case they forget. Doing this daily can help build the structure their mind needs to cope with this degenerative disease.
5. Label Everything
Putting labels on cabinets and drawers can reduce the frustration of looking through several cabinets before they find what they are looking for. You can even make a key for them to keep knowing what room an item would be in. If you aren’t a very organized person, now is a great time to start!
6. Everything Has Its Place
If you are the type of person to lose your keys constantly, now is the time to learn some new organization techniques. Having a specific place for each item can help you and your loved one keep track of things. Having the remotes to the TVs out on the coffee table in the same place each time or having a bowl next to the front door for your keys can help prevent you from wasting your time on a scavenger hunt.
Living with someone who has dementia can be a difficult struggle, but these six tips can help make it easier. If you haven’t tried CBD oil for dementia yet, check out this article on How CBD Can Help With Dementia to find out if medical cannabis may be the right treatment option for your loved one.
