What Can You Do to Ease Loneliness in a Senior with Dementia?

Senior Home Care Philadelphia

Senior Home Care Philadelphia

Dementia makes things more difficult for your elderly family member, including socializing and maintaining healthy relationships. Sometimes family members and friends find it difficult to know what to do or how to act, which can also cause loneliness. These ideas can help you find ways to reach out to her and remind her that she isn’t alone.

Try Hobbies and Crafts that She Enjoys

Art therapy is tremendously helpful for all sorts of health issues. Try it, even if your elderly family member never considered herself much of an artist in the past. Creating something can help her to express herself. Try a variety of different types of media to find something that your elderly family member seems to enjoy playing with or using. Making this a regular part of her daily or weekly schedule can significantly boost her mood.

Encourage Friends and Family to Visit

If friends and family members live close by, encourage them to stop by. Too many people visiting at once can be overwhelming, but having visits staggered every other day or so maybe just right. Coordinate the visits so that your senior has time to rest, too. Many family members worry that if their senior doesn’t remember them, visiting isn’t essential, but it is.

Use Technology to Bring People Closer

For friends and family members who live far away, there are many ways to stay connected and visit virtually or let your senior know they care. Set up video calls periodically or encourage family members to send notes and letters to your senior via the mail. These can all be fantastic ways to remind your senior that she’s not alone and that you care about her.

Find Ways for Her to Spend Time Outside

Spending a few minutes a day outside in nature, even in the backyard, can do a lot to boost the mood of everyone, including people who have dementia. If your elderly family member used to enjoy gardening or birdwatching, for example, she probably still will enjoy those activities. Look for ways to incorporate some of her favorite outdoor activities into her daily life, even in small ways.

Hire Senior Care at Home

Bringing in home care providers can ensure that your elderly family member has helped with all these ideas. Ultimately, senior care at home can help your elderly family member eat healthy meals consistently. Also, they can help her stick with the rest of her daily routine. They’re also there to be a friendly and encouraging support system for your elderly family member as she goes through her day and week.

Even people with dementia need ways to combat loneliness and the feelings that can accompany loneliness. Finally, no matter how advanced your senior’s dementia is, there are ways that you and others can reach out to her and offer her emotional support.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Home Care in Philadelphia, PA, and the surrounding area, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544

Ibrahim & Mariama Suma-Keita