Dementia is a condition that affects people’s ability to remember and think. It can be caused by many conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, and Lewy Body Disease (LBD). As we age, the risk of developing dementia increases significantly. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, by 2050, more than 13 million Americans will be living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
In this post, we will discuss how wellness programs can help those who are living with dementia. We’ll explain what they are, why they’re beneficial, and how they might benefit you or someone you love living in Attalla, AL, memory care communities.
Create Healthy Habits Through Exercise
Exercise is a great way to improve your mood and bolster your memory.
Studies show that exercising can help you fight depression, reduce stress and anxiety, promote better sleeping habits, and boost energy levels. Additionally, exercise has been shown to lower body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It may also protect against heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing harmful cholesterol levels in the blood (LDL) while increasing desirable HDL cholesterol levels.
Exercise can have an enormous impact on your overall health—and it may even slow down some of the effects of dementia as well!
Connect With Other Residents, Families And Friends
One of the most important benefits of wellness programs is that they allow residents to get together with other people and socialize. Socializing is important for all humans, but it’s particularly relevant in the case of those with dementia. The benefits of socialization include helping to improve memory and reduce stress and anxiety in both people living with dementia and their caregivers.
In addition to connecting with others, wellness programs can also help you connect with your loved ones who are currently receiving treatment at a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility without leaving home. Some communities even offer live video calls between patients at different facilities, so that family members don’t have to travel long distances just because someone needs special care outside their local area!
Stimulate And Engage The Mind
You may think dementia is an illness that robs people of their mental faculties. But what if you could show them something new daily and keep their minds active? Just because someone has dementia doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn new things or be curious about the world around them. By stimulating and engaging the mind, you can make their day more enjoyable and distract them from any pain they are feeling.
You can use many activities in wellness programs to stimulate and engage the mind: cooking classes, reading groups, painting classes, or playing games like chess or Scrabble with friends. You want to find activities that are engaging but not frustrating for your loved one with dementia. If an activity causes your loved one too much frustration, it’s not worth trying again later on in another session.
Keep Seniors Safe By Promoting Independence
The more independence you can give your loved one, the better. Promoting independence and keeping them safe will help them feel more in control of their lives.
Seniors with dementia must have a routine they can follow so they don’t get confused or agitated. Give your loved one a sense of purpose by allowing them to participate in some of the tasks around their home—it could be anything from folding laundry, preparing simple meals, or feeding animals on occasion. Even if they aren’t great at these things yet, it will help them feel like they are still contributing members of the household.
Conclusion
As we can see, there are many ways that wellness programs for those living with dementia can benefit them. It’s important to remember that these benefits vary from person to person, so it’s important for caregivers to take the time to understand their loved one’s individual needs and preferences in order to create a customized plan that will work best for them.
