After a dementia patient’s cognitive ability has declined to the point at which residing at home is no longer safe, family members may decide that moving this person to a memory care center is the best option. These family care services in Richmond, VA help their residents continue having as full a life as possible, even when memory is seriously impaired. Relatives and close friends are encouraged to visit regularly, even when their loved one sometimes doesn’t remember them.
An Important Consideration
Although visiting a loved one with severe memory issues may be emotionally trying, friends and family members can learn to manage the situation with several helpful strategies. The most important is realizing that these occasions are beneficial to the memory care resident. Even when the resident of family care services in Richmond, VA doesn’t recognize the person or remember the time spent together afterward, positive emotions typically are created and can linger long afterward.
Connecting With the Resident
Numerous activities can help a visitor connect with a memory care resident. For instance, the visitor could bring family photos to view together. The two might put an easy jigsaw puzzle together or play a simple board game. Dementia patients often remember favorite songs, so bringing a music player and listening to those tunes can be a point of connection.
Accepting the Situation
Accepting how the memory care resident views a relative or friend at the moment can help ease the emotional difficulty of nonrecognition. Trying to compel the person to remember is inadvisable. Simply appreciating a pleasant time together is a rewarding goal.
