Alzheimer's makes life difficult not only for the patient but also for their relatives. Alzheimer's leads to impairments in functions such as memory, attention and language, and negatively affects the patient's relationships and communication. Relatives and caregivers also have important duties here.
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, Head of the Department of Neuroscience at Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences and Neurology Specialist at NPISTANBUL Hospital, said that while Alzheimer's disease causes impairment in functions such as memory, attention and language, it also disrupts the person's perception of himself and his surroundings and creates a basis for behavioral disorders.
Stating that the relatives of the patient are also affected during the disease process, Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ said, "The patient cannot remember what happened on this ground, cannot pay attention to what is said to him/her and cannot fully explain his/her problem. On the other hand, he/she may move away from social norms and rules, cannot evaluate and control his/her own behaviors. Most of the time, he/she accepts them as normal."
Try to empathize!
Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ stated that relatives of Alzheimer's patients have some duties while communicating with the patient and made the following suggestions:
"First of all, you should ask yourself this question: If I were the Alzheimer's patient and not him/her, what kind of attention would I expect? Would I want to be greeted with love, understanding and patience, or would I want to see indifference and rudeness?
Be patient!
Your patient can easily become confused about what you are telling them or what you are asking of them. If you feel this kind of distress, you should try to explain your wishes in different ways. Never use physical force in doing so. Even if you have good intentions in doing so, it may be perceived by him/her as coercion.
Be understanding and do not argue!
Your patient may claim that it is 1958 or that you are his/her mother. When you try to tell him/her that it is 2017 and that his/her mother died a long time ago, he/she will first be surprised and upset if he/she is not an advanced patient, or if he/she is an advanced patient, he/she will insist on what he/she says and will not understand why you are saying this and maybe get angry. In both cases, your communication with the patient will fail.
Do not disrupt the integrity of the conversation!
Since Alzheimer's disease is difficult to record, even if you tell him/her the right things, he/she will not be able to remember them. In this respect, it is useless to correct the patient's mistakes and argue with the patient over them. Try to talk freely with your patient without bringing up the concepts of time and space. If he/she talks about the past as if it were the present, continue the conversation with him/her. Do not disturb the integrity of the conversation. Make jokes from time to time.
Listen to music
Don't force your patient to do things they don't like to do! Many relatives force their patients to do puzzles for hours on end, thinking that doing puzzles will help. There is no proven benefit and no logical basis for doing puzzles. Therefore, it would be more stimulating for the patient to spend this time outside or inside the house listening to music or watching something interesting.
Do not let your patient take their medication on their own!
Many patients in the mild to moderate stage may claim that they can take their medication regularly. This may even be true for some of them. However, as a general principle, it is inadvisable for patients with complaints of forgetfulness and attention deficit to take their own medication. In addition, some patients hide their medications under the carpet or throw them in the garbage, claiming that they have taken them.
Do not mention the possibility of a nursing home in front of your patients!
Losses during Alzheimer's disease make patients more emotional and sensitive than before. Therefore, do not discuss predictions about their future or the possibility of a nursing home as an option in their presence! At least some of the patients who hear these words may think that you want them to die or that you are planning to get rid of them."