If you have a loved one living in a memory care near Mandeville, LA, you may be looking for ways to make the visit more comfortable for them and for you. Having to see your aging parent in a situation where they are having a hard time recognizing or even remembering you may be difficult. Here are some tips to remember in order to make the visit more pleasant.
Introduce Yourself
This may seem too uncomfortable, but when visiting your loved one in a memory care facility, you may need to tell them who you are. It may be awkward, but you need to say your name to your parent and look them in the eye while doing so. Always tell them what your relationship is. This may jog their memory and remember you somehow. If not, at least they won’t need to figure out who you are.
Show Them Something Familiar
When visiting your loved one, make sure to bring along an item that sparks connection between them and you. Try to show them stuff that is related to the things you do or use during your bonding moments. You may also play their favorite song or read their favorite book. If they are in the mood and can remember a little, try doing a favorite hobby with them. This way, you’ll both feel comfortable during the visit. You can also ask assistance from team members in the retirement community to setup the things that you need.
Keep Your Cool
It is unavoidable for people with dementia to blurt out things that may be disagreeable or even somewhat unacceptable. They may even insist on being right most of the time due to the fact that they can only access bits and pieces of information from their memory. They really do not mean to be offensive or righteous. So instead of arguing with them, you must keep your cool and try to redirect the conversation to a more pleasant one. Diverting a conversation to a more delightful one may mean avoidance of a possible feeling of pain, rage or further confusion.
Silent Moments are Fine
During one of your visits, it may be inevitable for your loved one in a memory care home to have some quiet time. That is perfectly fine. Silence is often taken for granted. It is during those quiet times that you can indirectly say to your loved one that you are just there no matter what. It may also bring a great feeling to know that even when you are doing nothing, you can make your loved one feel less lonely by your presence alone.
Just keep in mind that dementia has various phases and progresses differently from person to person. There may be days that your parents can remember you easily and some days when you are not familiar to them at all. Patience and understanding are what you need to have when visiting them. Even when your loved one already has difficulty recognizing a lot of things, and that may include you, don’t let it prevent you from making every visit memorable and enjoyable for them.
