Living with dementia can be unsettling and frustrating, but independence and quality of life can still be achieved with the right support and a few changes.
With almost half a million people living with dementia in Australia, and another 1.6 million people involved in their care, it is likely that we are all impacted in some way.
Understanding the experience of dementia, and making a few changes can have a beneficial impact on the person’s quality of life and help them to live more independently.
When we think of dementia, we think of a person’s loss of memory and the confusion this may cause with identifying loved ones or timeframes. But people living with dementia may also have different sensory perceptions, which makes them see things differently.
Dementia Australia has a range of useful tools and tips for creating a dementia-friendly environment so that the home remains familiar, but is more accessible and safer. Some of the top tips include:
- Consider colour contrasts between doors and walls and between doors and architraves
- Perhaps have a different colour door for the toilet
- Put up signs (in Arial or Helvetica font) or photos to indicate the function of a room
- Use larger size light and power switches
- Set up a whiteboard or calendar to post notes and reminders.
Sometimes, the home environment is not safe enough and a move into residential care may be needed. When selecting the right provider, ask lots of questions to determine how the provider can meet the needs of a person with dementia.
– Fowler’s Financial Planner, Amanda Golder
Listen to our Aged Care Podcast as the Wealth Radar boys pick her brain and find out how she can help you and your family make those tough decisions that need to be when it comes to Aged Care.
