Reducing Stress at Home with Your Elderly Relatives Who Have Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease

Caring for a family member with dementia or Alzheimer's Disease (AD) can cause tremendous stress. You're trying to run a household, hold a steady job, and care for an adult who may be confused and irritable. But you take on this task with grace and positivity, and you find it deeply rewarding.

The team at Senior Helpers in Fairfield is here to help. This article aims to provide family caregivers with an actionable guide to reducing stress at home. From senior-proofing your space, to respite care and routines, we'll cover everything you need to create a stress-free environment for yourself and your loved one.

Address the Environment (by Senior-Proofing Your Home)

Seniors with AD or dementia can behave in some shocking ways. Your first mission is to make the home physically safe. Senior-proofing is a lot like baby-proofing. Go through your home and:

Remove area rugs and exposed power cords that can cause trips and falls
Put knives and scissors somewhere out of reach, like on top of the refrigerator
Install grab bars in the bathroom
Add lighting and nightlights to bathrooms and hallways
Consider adding baby gates to the top of stairwells

Now that your home is physically safer, everyone will feel better. Now it's time to establish a routine.

Create a Routine

Every family is unique, but we all crave a stable routine. Seniors living with dementia or AD will benefit from:

Regular mealtimes
Medication routines
Quiet time in the evening
And a specific, early bedtime at night

Establishing a solid daily pattern makes it easier to ensure your loved one gets nutrition, rest, and a proper medication schedule. These things will become habitual. And quiet time and an early bedtime will allow you — the caregiver — time to recharge.

Recharge with Self-Care

We hear much about self-care these days, and most family caregivers roll their eyes a little at the subject. No one has time to take a yoga class or get a massage, right?

But self-care doesn't need to be all that. Sometimes all you need is a few hours to take a hot bath and watch your favorite movie or a resolution to hit the gym three times per week. Self-care also means getting the medical or dental attention you need.

To reduce your stress, make self-care a priority! Get that painful tooth pulled, and spend an afternoon choosing more comfortable shoes. You'll feel better and prepared to take on caregiving tasks.

And when it all seems like too much responsibility, take advantage of respite care services.

Take Advantage of Respite Care

Caring for a loved one with dementia or AD can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. Respite care is a temporary arrangement that allows family caregivers a chance to take a break. Our clients use respite care when they must:

Take a few days off for surgery or dental work
Go to court
Travel
Get ready for the holidays
Celebrate an anniversary
Or get a few days to rest and recharge

At Senior Helpers, we can help your loved one get the care they need and stick to that vital routine. We specialize in respite care for individuals living with AD and dementia, and we can help your NJ family, too.

If you need assistance beyond this, don't hesitate to call us. We exist to help New Jersey caregivers in:

We look forward to hearing from you.

Related Reading & Resources:

NAMI.org: New Jersey State Fact Sheet