A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s for you or a loved one can be a very frightening time. However, millions continue to live meaningful lives despite the distressing news.
Fulton Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing would like to share tips from the Alzheimer’s Association on how you can focus on continuing to live a healthy life.
- Accepting Change
Many people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia will avoid and cover up issues they are having in order to not worry others. Faking it, however, has been shown to cause additional stress in patients and their families. Instead, it’s recommended that patients create a list of tasks that have become challenging for them. They should then determine if the task is necessary and, if so, find the solution that works best. This may include asking for help with some tasks, or even simpler things like preparing meals differently.
- Focus on Daily Living
It’s important to develop a daily routine. Having a schedule will help you accomplish more goals and limit mistakes or confusion. It’s also important to set realistic goals. You may not be able to do certain things that you once did, but that doesn’t mean that you still can’t have successful, meaningful days.
- Accepting Help
As mentioned above, many Alzheimer’s patients are hesitant to ask friends and family for assistance, but asking for assistance will likely help you maintain your independence for a longer period of time.
- Ask the Experts
The Alzheimer’s Association’s website is a great resource for support and answers to your questions. You can also download these helpful coping tips that came from people fighting the disease here.
