Can a Whiteboard Help Calm Person Suffering with Dementia?

If you are caring for a parent or spouse with dementia you understand the challenges you and your loved one face each day. There are several strategies you could employ to help you take care of them. These “memory aids” can, in some cases, help a person in early dementia feel more comfortable. Many experts say words of reassurance become very helpful to reduce the anxiety the person feels. The goal is to help reduce the stress and burden on the family caregiver while making the person suffering from memory loss feel comfortable and less fearful for as long as possible. At some point, additional care will be required, either at home or in a memory care unit in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Unless the person has Long-Term Care Insurance the cost of that care is substantial.

Recently on social media, one daughter shared her use of a whiteboard. The board listed key items to help reduce the anxiety felt by the individual.

Make every effort to keep the home as 'familiar' as possible for the person with dementia. Old photographs and familiar objects are ideal for the person with dementia to stay connected with the past.

The latest technology can help people with dementia retain their independence, helping them stay at home safely. These options include 'assistive technologies' like virtual assistants, electronic reminders, and tracking devices. Large clocks with the day and date displayed will help them stay connected with the present. 

Other items can help families keep a loved one with dementia safe at home and delay the need for a long-term care facility. These are a few:

• GPS tracking
• Medication aids
• Virtual assistants, such as Alexa or Google Home
• Dementia friendly phones

Service dogs can also be helpful.

In-home caregivers with experience with dementia patients will ease the stress on family members. LTC NEWS offers guides that can help families find the appropriate care for their loved ones:

Finding Quality In-Home Care | LTC News

Assisted Living and Memory Care Facilities | LTC News

Adult Day Care Centers can be beneficial as well. During the day, the person with dementia can be dropped off and later picked up and brought home. Adult Day Care can also be used as respite care for family caregivers - Adult Day Care Centers (ADCCs) | LTC News.

Is Your Family Prepared for Your Future Aging Issues?

Can you imagine how your children would deal with the responsibility of being your caregiver in the decades to come? How do you think it would impact their life? They would have a career or job responsibility. They may be a parent and spouse on top of their job responsibilities. 

When you need care sometime in the future, your needs will progress, and the stress of being a family caregiver increases. Family caregivers face physical and emotional demands that place an enormous burden on them and their families. 

There is a better solution. Take a look at how you are planning for your retirement. As you look at your 401(k), IRA, and other assets, think about how long they would last if you, at some point, would need to use them for long-term health care services. Either your family will be caregivers, or you will have paid care. You could have both. Your need for extended care will change your lifestyle and that of your spouse or partner. It places an emotional and financial burden on your loved ones.

The easy solution is affordable Long-Term Care Insurance. These policies will provide access to your choice of quality care either at home or in a facility. Most policies include professional case management, which will assist the family in finding appropriate care based on individual needs and preferences. 

Long-Term Care Insurance is custom designed. You can decide to have the benefit levels you want and can afford. Most states participate in the Federal Long-Term Care Partnership Program. Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance gives you "asset disregard." In the event you exhaust your benefits, you get dollar-for-dollar asset protection. You can shelter part of your estate based on the total amount of benefits paid out and still access Medicaid will provide long-term health care services, but the care recipient must have little or no income and assets, plus the quality care is sometimes questionable.  

Most people purchase Long-Term Care Insurance in their 50s as premiums are lower at younger ages, and your health offers you the most options.

Aging happens, our health declines, our bodies deteriorate, and sometimes we have memory loss. Being prepared won't stop aging, but it will reduce the financial and emotional stress on those you love.