As creatures of habit, having routines and structures are important in maintaining a thriving lifestyle and in creating good ones. Without healthy structures, we suffer from stress, poor sleeping and eating habits, and feeling that we are running out or not making the most of our time all the time.
For persons with dementia, the stakes are even higher. Memory loss and the other changes caused by dementia to the brain means that they are already less able to manage stress and anxiety. Without consistent care and structure, they are prone to irritability, aggression, restlessness, and other undesired behaviors, making caring for them challenging.
Thus, as a provider of adult day services in Virginia at Raspberry Hill Adult Daytime Center, we are listing down the ways that having consistent care and structure can help individuals with dementia have a better quality of living. Here are some of them:
- Helps set the tone of the day According to a study published in the journal Nat Sci Sleep, beyond age 65, our average sleep needs decrease from 7 to 9 hours to 7 to 8 hours. As a result, most seniors do wake up earlier. However, as this is also a retirement age, they may find themselves with less to do without a structure. This can affect the quality of their day and contribute to feelings of inadequacy.
- Helps people with dementia cope with short-term memory lossAs routines are stored in long-term memory and dementia affects short-term memory first, maintaining structures is vital to helping people with the condition gain predictability and be able to navigate their changing world easier.
- Results in decreased stress for caregivers Caregiving is difficult as it is, and caring for persons with dementia even more so. That is why it is important to have a structure in place. Add this with proper healthcare training classes in Lynchburg, Virginia, establishing a structure means their dedicated nurse aide or caregiver can know how to respond to their residents, reducing challenging behaviors and decreasing their stress levels.
- Fosters independence for patients with dementia People with dementia usually affect the elderly population as age is a risk factor for developing the condition. With most out of the workforce by this time, having a structure is crucial to making them feel confident and encouraging them to live their life to the fullest even when they are aware of their limitations and cognitive deficits.
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