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| Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease |
Healthy Practices For Seniors With Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder that causes memory impairment and changes in behavior, among other things. Because healthy habits are not always part of the senior's daily routine, you might have to make healthy decisions for them. Although it may be challenging to stick to these healthy habits as consistency is essential, this will help your loved one maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible even though they may no longer be able to take care of themselves entirely. There are some natural remedies to reverse Alzheimer's. These remedies are helpful for people who are dealing with Alzheimer’s.
Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging at the best of times, but it is even more difficult when they have Alzheimer's. The sad reality is that with Alzheimer's disease, healthy living habits may not come naturally to the sufferer. Everyone around them must adapt to ensure their safety and wellbeing somehow.
Here are a few healthy habits for seniors with Alzheimer's.
Keep Your Space Clean
Obligate yourself to keep the household environment clutter-free at all times.
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| Home safety for seniors with Alzheimer's |
It's difficult enough dealing with an Alzheimer's patient, never mind having to navigate through mounds of stuff daily too.
Ensure straightforward access around the house and set up helpful pathways for your senior loved one to move about safely and without distraction or disruption from unnecessary obstacles. Also, consider using noise-reducing floor coverings if their movements create disturbances when they try to get around, and speaking gently and slowly in simple terms when speaking to them will help them understand what you say more clearly, too.
Exercise daily
Another healthy habit is ensuring that they exercise daily, even if they are wheelchair-bound or bedridden. Getting up and moving around is beneficial for everyone. Still, more importantly, exercise helps people with Alzheimer's get their blood circulating, which helps with the delivery of oxygen to the brain.
Remaining seated for long periods can make sufferers feel isolated and less healthy. Make sure that they stretch properly after exercising by gently rubbing each joint of the body through clockwise circular movements; this will help ease any stiffness that may have developed while sitting still.
Keep the Family Close Enough
Every senior love spending time with family, but when Alzheimer's disease becomes an issue, you need to be sensitive about how often you visit and how long you stay because sudden disruptions can cause immense distress, so try and maintain healthy habits like having healthy snacks and drinks on hand when they visit.
It's important to realize that Alzheimer's is a condition that limits the sufferer's ability to learn new things or retain memories. While it can be appreciated that a family wants to make them feel loved by visiting regularly, it may cause more harm than good.
For this reason, if your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Stick to healthy habits, routine and limited visits. Things such as playing simple board games or similar activities will help keep emotions under control.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
It doesn't take a lot of effort for you to stick to healthy habits yourself as a carer. Planning healthy foods is an easy way to ensure that they are adequately nourished, and getting the necessary vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and proteins is vital for healthy living.
Cheaper brands of healthy snacks are available now, so read labels carefully if you have a tight budget to work with; your loved one will benefit from this because healthy eating habits prevent them from becoming malnourished or dehydrated, and they feel happier and healthier.
Getting Plenty of Rest
Encourage healthy sleeping habits and prioritize restful sleep over anything else (within reason). Whether following a healthy bedtime routine or practicing relaxation techniques like meditation before going to bed, healthy sleeping habits are essential for everyone to feel rejuvenated the next day.
Try limiting distractions while they sleep. Set up a healthy sleeping environment by removing any appliances from their bedroom that may cause a disturbance like overhead lights because little things like these can complicate healthy sleeping habits.
Maintain a Good Attitude
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease which means that healthy habits will only go so far in ensuring healthy living at home with your senior loved one. It can be emotionally draining on the family caregivers. Still, it's vital to stay positive and maintain healthy habits yourself because it keeps you refreshed and can cope with daily stressors more easily.
Learning how to relax is also an essential factor, especially since healthy living is about feeling healthy mentally as well as physically – you can find healthy ways to relax by reading a book, taking a walk, or listening to your favorite music. Healthy thinking means healthy living.
Keeping a healthy attitude also means respecting their choices even if you don't necessarily agree with them because Alzheimer's causes mood swings in seniors, which makes it difficult for anyone to predict what behaviors are considered appropriate and healthy when caring for seniors with Alzheimer's disease
Bonding through Physical Touch
When all else fails, hug them; physical contact has been proven to reduce stress levels, so prioritize embracing senior loved ones who have Alzheimer's when you visit because healthy habits like this will help keep everyone happier.
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| Physical contact reduces stress levels |
It shows that you care without the adverse effects of stress, and healthy habits like this will help improve your loved one's overall mental health, making some healthy living at home with senior loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's is a terrifying diagnosis for anyone to cope with, but healthy habits can do wonders for maintaining the quality of life.
Be sure to stick carefully to
- healthy lifestyle choices yourself,
- healthy eating (and drinking!),
- get plenty of rest,
- and stay positive
Suppose healthy living at home won't necessarily keep the disease from progressing. In that case, healthy habits will improve their overall mood and mental health, which is just as crucial for healthy living at home with senior loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease.
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Author: Jia Gadot is a health and beauty journalist living in sunny Miami. When she's not trying out healthy recipes, she writes about healthy habits for 24-7 Nursing Care. She holds a degree in nutrition and has been writing about healthy lifestyle choices for several years. Jia enjoys hiking and spends her free time learning new healthy recipes with her husband. "Healthy Habits Coach" is dedicated to providing readers with practical tips on how to maintain healthy lifestyle habits like exercising, eating right, getting plenty of sleep, reducing stress levels, and maintaining positive thinking