How to Help Two Parents with Alzheimer’s

Taking care of one parent with Alzheimer’s is already a massive commitment, but when both parents have Alzheimer’s it basically becomes a full-time job. If you’ve found yourself in this position, here are some tips for how to help two parents with Alzheimer’s.

photo credit: @victor-l-19338, accessed 9/25/19 via CCO

Make Time to Do Fun Things Together

​When you are helping two parents with Alzheimer’s, the environment can become pretty serious. Don’t forget to laugh, reminisce and make time to do fun activities with your parents. Some enjoyable activities that you can do with your parents are: listening to music together (maybe their favorite music from years gone by), doing arts and crafts, cooking, watching movies and gardening!

Take Care of Yourself

​If you are taking care of both of your parents, don’t forget to take time to take care of yourself as well. Remember to exercise, eat healthy and get enough sleep every week. It’s also important to take the time to talk with a friend or family member who will listen to what you are going through. Keeping yourself healthy is one of the most important things you can do to be able to help take care of your parents. If you have siblings or other relatives, it’s important to advocate for yourself and have the care divided up instead of solely on your shoulders.

Learn How to Respond to Changes in Behavior

​In many cases, people who have Alzheimer’s may become angry, impatient or apathetic. The best ways to respond to parents who are in a state of frustration or extreme boredom is to practice patience, move onto a different topic or activity to get your loved one’s mind off of his or her frustration, provide only one or two choices, keep things simple and do your best to stay positive. If you stay calm, patient and positive, your loved one(s) may be more inclined to relax and calm down as well 

Consider Different Options

​If it becomes unsafe for your parents to live alone, or if you are dealing with caregiver burnout, it may be the time to look into different options, like memory care. At Martin Luther care center, we offer Ebenezer's Dimensions® memory care program which empowers our staff to provide exceptional, compassionate care based on current best practices. Our memory care program provides care plans based on detailed assessments, 24-hour staffing and round-the-clock emergency response, activities designed to promote brain health, participatory groups, and much more! 

Are you looking for a memory care community for your parents? At the Martin Luther Campus memory care community, we have person-centered care, thoughtfully designed spaces, engaging activities as a building block for dementia care, experienced staff, family education and support, purposeful partnerships, and more. Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.
 
Martin Luther Campus is part of the Ebenezer family of Lutheran Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care and assisted living apartments for seniors in Bloomington and Richfield. We also have adult day clubs and memory care programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St. Bloomington, MN. Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living? Call Amy at 952-948-5167 for more information and to schedule a tour today.