Supporting Elders with Dementia: A Holistic Care Guide

By Neha Sinha

According to Statista, as of 2023, more than 10% of the Indian population is 60 years of age or older, and this proportion is expected to rise by 2025. However, while aging is a natural process, it can bring about a variety of changes that leave the elderly vulnerable and stressed about their health and wellness, one of the more serious of which is dementia.

As per NCBI, around 8.8 million Indians over the age of 60 have dementia. Dementia is no longer just an illness; it has evolved into a life-altering worry, affecting the quality of life of senior citizens. It is a neurological condition. Signs and symptoms of dementia result when once-healthy nerve cells (neurons) in the brain stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. It occurs as a result of a disease process that increasingly damages the brain over time. It is a chronic and progressive syndrome.

While there is no cure for dementia, a holistic approach to dementia care can delay its progression, and help in enhancing the quality of life of elderly people with dementia.

Here, let’s delve into some important aspects of holistic dementia care:

Dementia staging & management: Understanding dementia type and stage aids in tailoring care and training caregivers effectively. While management can slow progression, reaching advanced stages is inevitable. Prioritizing comfort, pain relief, and emotional support becomes paramount for optimal care.

Person-centered care: It’s all about putting the person first. Person-centered care involves understanding each individual and creating plans that suit their needs, making sure they are treated with dignity and respect.

Physical health & nutrition: Taking a holistic approach to dementia care involves focusing on both physical health and nutrition. It’s essential to promote regular exercise, a well-balanced diet, and proper hydration for maintaining overall well-being.

Maintain a set routine. With a daily routine in place, the elderly gets to know what to expect at any given time and avoid the difficulty of navigating the day without a plan. To top it all off, since routines are stored in long-term memory and dementia generally affects short-term memory first, routines often remain accessible even into the middle stages of dementia.

Communicate with empathy: Seniors with dementia often experience confusion, annoyance, and frustration. Thus, using simple and pleasant language in every conversation becomes imperative. Keep in mind both your verbal and non-verbal cues during communication. Seniors with dementia are susceptible to negative body language and can become disheartened if they feel they are a burden to everyone.

Social support: In dementia care, social engagement is vital. Group activities and meaningful interactions help combat isolation, fostering a supportive environment for individuals with dementia.

Spiritual support: Whether through prayer, meditation, or access to religious services, spiritual support contributes to emotional comfort, enhancing overall well-being for those affected by dementia.

Managing behavioral challenges: Managing behavioral challenges in dementia involves identifying triggers and using non-pharmacological methods like music or environmental changes. Effective communication and small activities help mitigate agitation, aggression, and other difficult behaviors.

Activities & engagement: Providing a safe and happy environment with a variety of activities is very important. Keeping them busy and engaged in gardening, art, music, and other enjoyable hobbies fosters a purposeful lifestyle and reduces sadness, loneliness, and boredom plus engaging in cognitive activities can help maintain mental agility and slow the progression of the condition.

Regular assessment & adjustments: Care plans should be regularly assessed and adjusted to accommodate changing needs and preferences. Furthermore, regular doctor visits are vital too. This ensures that care remains person-centered and responsive to the individual’s evolving condition.

End-of-life care: End-of-life care in dementia programs prioritizes quality of life, alleviating symptoms and stress. Cognizant of each individual preference, one should provide support to elders with dementia and their families as well, emphasizing dignity during this difficult phase.

It’s the right time to support them!

Today, a holistic approach to dementia care acknowledges the condition’s multidimensional character and works to treat the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual elements of well-being. By implementing the aforementioned ways, seniors with dementia can enjoy a higher quality of life, more comfort, and a feeling of dignity.

(The author is a Co-founder and CEO Epoch Elder Care, Dementia specialist. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)