Home Care

Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease at home is a difficult task. Basic activities of daily living -- eating, talking, sleeping, finding things to do -- are often hard to manage for both the person with Alzheimer's and the caregiver. Here are some tips that may help you cope.

Daily Activities

What to do all day? Finding activities that the person with Alzheimer's can do and is interested in can be a challenge. Building on existing skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.

Don't expect too much. Simple activities often are best, especially when they use current abilities.

Help the person get started on an activity. Break the activity down into small steps and praise the person for each step he or she completes.

Watch for signs of agitation or frustration with an activity. Gently help, or distract the person to something else.

Incorporate activities the person seems to enjoy into your daily routine and try to do them at a similar time each day.

Take advantage of adult day services, which provide various activities for the person with Alzheimer's as well as an opportunity for caregivers to gain temporary relief from tasks associated with caregiving. Transportation and meals often are provided.

Trying to communicate with a person who has Alzheimer's can be a challenge. Both understanding and being understood may be difficult.

Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.

Avoid talking to the person like a baby or talking as if he or she weren't there. Minimize distractions and noise, such as the television or radio, to help the person focus on what you are saying.

Call the person by name, making sure you have his or her attention before speaking. Allow enough time for a response. Be careful not to interrupt.

If the person with Alzheimer's is struggling to find a word or communicate a thought, gently try to provide the word he or she is looking for.