Parkinson’s, Lewy Body, and Huntington’s disease are all types of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, affecting over six million people. It’s expected that the number of people with Alzheimer’s will top seven million by 2025. Your dad is among the millions with dementia. He’s still in the early stages, and you, as his caregiver, are looking for the best ways to help him retain his memories.

Here are some caregiver tips.

Build a Garden Together

Gardening will remind your dad of his past. He might remember helping his mom in the garden. It could bring back memories of him teaching you or his grandchildren how to start seeds on soaked newspaper squares. That can help him retain memories.

Cook Family Recipes

Cook your dad’s family recipes together. You can improve from there by taking photos of the finished dishes and posting them in a private blog that family members can access. Your dad will reminisce about the times his mom or dad made the item, and that can help you get stories to add to journals, too.

Create a Photo Journal

Build a journal with your dad. Each page should have information and photos that he will understand as the disease progresses. Keep the entries simple, as his reading comprehension will change over time.

Try to section the journal into areas like family, pets, childhood, and favorite foods. As the disease worsens, some sections may be his primary focus for weeks. Suddenly, he’ll get up one day and be interested in something else.

Listen to Music Together

Think about your favorite song. Where were you when you heard it? Who was with you? The odds are high that you’ll have distinct memories of that day. Your dad will have the same experiences. Put on an old Beatles song. He may sing along, and he may suddenly surprise you with a story you’ve never heard before.

Take Care of Yourself Using Respite Care from a Professional Caregiver

Are you forgetting anything? When you’re caring for a parent with dementia, it’s easy to lose track of your own needs. If you haven’t had a day off in months and often feel stressed or anxious, it’s time to talk about caregiver services.

The specific care service you want to discuss is respite care. It’s a temporary service designed to give you a break. Use respite care if you need a day off, are sick and can’t care for your dad, or have appointments of your own and don’t want your dad tagging along. Call our caregiver agency to make arrangements.

Sources: https://www.alz.org/media/documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf

If you or a family member are in need of hiring Caregiver Services in Pompano Beach FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Margate, Pompano Beach and Tamarac.

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Stephen Sternbach

CEO at Star Multi Care Services

With over 35 years of experience, Stephen Sternbach has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Star Multi Care Services since 1987. After the sale of the New York and New Jersey operations of Star Multi Care Services, Sternbach brought the company private where he remains President and CEO of this 40-million dollar company. With Sternbach at the helm, Star Multi Care Services employs more than 650 employees, in six offices throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.

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