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If you think that it is quite challenging to communicate with a memory care resident, then you have come to the right place. This is because memory assisted living is not only a place where you put your elderly loved ones, but also a place where communication is one of the priorities.

When it comes to caring for your loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, communication is key to make your caregiving journey less stressful. Thus, you must take a few notes on how to communicate effectively without getting frustrated or upset.

Establish a Positive Mood

Be aware that even your non-verbal communication can be used to express your thoughts and feelings. Sometimes this is even more expressive than words. So it is best to set up a comfortable atmosphere when making conversation by speaking to your loved one respectfully and nicely. Not only will you be able to show that you care, but you can also reinforce and convey your message by using a positive mood, proper tone of voice, and physical touch.

Ensure To Get Your Loved One’s Attention

Upon having a conversation, try to avoid noise and distractions. If possible, address them by their name and try to use your name to identify yourself. Moreover, you can use nonverbal cues or physical touch so that you can help them stay involved and focused on the conversation. Remember that memory assisted living also requires interesting conversations to get the attention of your loved one.

State Your Message Clearly

Try to speak slowly when talking to your loved one via a reassuring tone. Make use of simple sentences and words that everyone can understand. Do not raise your voice, even when frustration occurs during conversation.

If your loved one didn’t understand the first time you said something, try to repeat your message with the same wording. You also have to use specific names of places or people when conversing instead of using pronouns or abbreviations. This will all help promote memories and make the communication flow more easily.

Go For Simple or Answerable Questions

Instead of asking too many questions in a row, ensure that you only ask one question at a time and give them time to think and answer. For people with memory issues, it is best to establish questions that would require yes or no answers only. It would also help if you use specific words, making things clearer, easier, and simpler to understand.

Provide Direct and Simplistic Instructions

Try to break down tasks into single steps so that you can make things simple. You may use visual clues and instructions to ensure that he or she understands it.

Make Realistic Expectations

Try to answer with affection and reassurance, but avoid using the word “remember”. At the same time, try not to test their memory too hard at a memory assisted living facility. This could possibly upset them, especially if they are in denial about their condition. You may touch or hold their hands to help them respond if they may not be able to do so.

Use Humor to Neutralize Tension

It has been proven many times that laughter can defuse tense conditions almost instantaneously. Take note that people suffering from dementia tend to retain their social skills even if their memory has been diminished. They may even enjoy laughing along with you when you crack a joke or two.

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper

Needless to say, the elderly are prone to injuries for many different and varying reasons. However the risk of falling is especially bad for seniors, and can lead to hip fractures. The moment they lose coordination, they would have difficulty with their balance and eyesight and this can become potentially dangerous.

Therefore, when the elderly are at risk of falling in their everyday lives, they have higher chances of getting hip injuries due to weaker bones.

Risk Factors of Hip Injuries

• Osteoporosis – when a person becomes older, they become more susceptible to bone fracture because this disease will cause the bones to become weaker.
• Gender – it is a known fact that women tend to lose more bone density compared to men due to the lowering of estrogen levels after menopause starts.
• Nutrition – when your childhood had poor nutrition issues, then you will have a risk of hip-fracture.
• Tobacco and alcohol use – bone loss can be caused by too much consumption of cigarettes and alcohol.

Hip fractures have two main types, including the femoral neck fracture and the intertrochanteric region fracture. In rare cases, people may not have hip fracture surgery, as they might be too sick to undergo the procedure. Thus, they will be under the traction method or any appropriate methods to repair the fracture.

Therapy and Recovery

When one undergoes therapy, the repair could be simple, but the results can be dangerous. In fact, based on statistics, there are about 25% mortality rates per year after a hip fracture occurred. This is because of some complications, such as blood clots, pneumonia, and infections.

The need to have assisted living facilities towards recovery is essential. After the surgery is done in the hospital, patients are required to stay from 4 days to 1 week. However, longer stays can be necessary depending on the type of surgery.

In such cases, patients need to be rehabilitated in a separate facility for at least a month for recovery. It is the job of the occupational therapists to help patients recover, but only in the hospital.

After hospitalization, a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living community can be a good place for recovery. The most essential factor to determine the location to rehabilitate is finding a setting that would reduce the risk of readmission to the hospital. Moreover, it should help in the recovery of their strength and confidence.

Rehabilitation in Assisted Living Community

There is a great chance that rehabilitation after a hip injury can be achieved in assisted living facilities. This can be similar to home therapies provided by nursing services paid for by the insurance coverage.

Assisted living facilities are also necessary because the elderly would require assistance in activities of daily living, which include bathing, meal preparation, and dressing. Thus, an assisted living community should be a great option when you are looking to rehabilitate a loved one after a hip injury operation.

Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper