Keep Track of Habits: How a Daily Journal Can Improve The Dementia Care Your Loved One Receives
When you know that a loved one is receiving Alzheimer’s care, you want to make sure that the care received is helpful and empathetic. When you keep track of habits and update a journal every day, this helps individuals providing dementia care and those that are receiving it. The journal doesn’t have to provide a huge amount of detail each day, but it should provide a glimpse into what the person receiving care needs each day. At Fairfield Family Care in Stamford, Connecticut, serving residents in Norwalk and Darien, Connecticut, we believe that good communication makes a big difference in the care people receive.
Keep Track of Meals in a Daily Journal
Individuals receiving Parkinson’s care may struggle to eat a balanced diet every day. When you keep track of meals in a daily journal, it will become easier to determine if your loved one is getting the nutrition they need every day to stay healthy. In addition to seeing what meals are prepared, it is also possible to make a grocery list based on the food items that are being used. Meals are an important part of any person’s daily care, and keeping track is essential.
Share Information on Medical Needs
It can be difficult to keep track of appointments and share medical information on a need-to-know basis. When you have caregivers coming in the home for your loved one, you want to be sure that their medical needs are being met. This can only occur if the needs are shared with those providing the hands-on dementia care. A daily journal kept in the same place each day is a great place to put medical information that includes any medication changes, upcoming appointments, and in-home therapies that may be coming in.
Allow Caregivers to Communicate With Each Other More Effectively
You may have several people coming into the home of your loved one to provide the care that they need. It is quite possible that the caregivers won’t be familiar with one another and don’t often communicate. With a daily journal in place, caregivers can write notes to one another regarding your loved one’s care. The journal can be a great way for people to share ideas about caregiving, observations they make during the day, or even to ask one another to fill in hours when they may not be able to make a shift.
Provide Continuity of Care With a Daily Journal
When a loved one needs Parkinson’s care or other dementia care, providing a routine is vital to their comfort. While you can communicate with each care provider verbally, a daily journal can provide a schedule to make each day as routine as possible. With those needing dementia care, routine is important. A daily journal allows caregivers to see what happens each day. If they are a new caregiver, they will be able to look at the daily journal and pick up where the last caregiver left off.
Share New Ideas Regarding the Individual Being Cared For
Caregivers will have the opportunity to share ideas in the daily journal regarding activities or methods that are effective when they are caring for your loved one. For example, a caregiver may discover that your loved one really enjoys listening to classical music, or they took your loved one to the library and they really had a great time. This can help caregivers who don’t know your loved one well, and it can provide your loved one with new activities that they have recently discovered.
The way that your family member is cared for by those providing Alzheimer’s care can be greatly improved when you implement the use of a daily journal. You will be able to see what the caregivers have to say about the individual they are caring for. As the family member arranging for services, you can also share your concerns or ideas in the daily journal to communicate with everyone coming into the home. A daily journal offers you an inside look at how care is being provided each day and what activities your loved one has been participating it. It’s an easy way to communicate without having to worry about electronic communication.
If you need help for a loved one at home who needs Alzheimer’s care in Darien, Norwalk, or the surrounding Connecticut towns, it’s time to call Fairfield Family Care in Stamford, Connecticut to see what services we can provide. We have caregivers experienced in Alzheimer’s care, Parkinson’s care, and other forms of dementia. Call us today at 203-295-3477 to learn more about our dementia care and other services we offer.