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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Few Advices from Vijaya's Art, family caregiver in Mumbai to help face Wandering among persons affected with AD.


“The Indian Caregiver’s Corner” :


This section is made in part, to explain theoretically the different aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease, the patients and caregivers have to face worldwide… like the impairment process, the different disorders: memory, language, organization… changes in personality and behavior…. But also, the impact of the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions like socialization, meditation, physical exercise, the caregiver’s role and difficulties encountered in India. 

Readers are invited to enrich this section to make it an experience-based one, a resourceful section for other caregivers to find there helpful tips/ways to cope with the symptoms, the daily care activities and to face specific situations in their local setting, at home, outside, with family, doctors….


Advices from Vijaya's Art (family caregiver,Mumbai) to face Wandering among persons affected with AD: 

"Your patient is very likely to wander away if he /she can move without assistance. 


This also means that they can get lost even if the area is familiar to them because they cannot remember where they are. 

This can happen not only when you are outside, sometimes the patient may open the door and leave the house without anyone’s knowledge. This happens quite often in the initial stages, so it is better to be prepared in advance. 

1. When you take the patient out of the house, maybe for a walk or to the doctor or for an outing; always, pin on a small badge with your name, address, phone number on their clothing. 

Like you would do it for your little child who goes to nursery school. Just in case, if they do get lost it is easy for them to be returned to you. Be prepared.

2. It is always better to have another person with you when you take your patient out to hold them by the hand. 

This helps if you have to stop and do something else when you are outside. A minute’s distraction is sufficient for the patient to wander away or hurt themselves. 
Even a child of 10 years can help you in this, or you could hire a maid for such tasks. Be sure that the person who is watching your patient talks kindly to them.

3. Inform the society watchman/security staff and explain to them that your patient is not aware of his surroundings so if they see this person leaving alone, that they should stop them and bring them back home gently.

4. Lock the house from the inside with a lock and keep the key on your person – don’t leave it lying around. It can be tiring to open the lock each time you have to open the door. So if you have high traffic in your home of persons coming and going out the front door, use the next option.

5. Install sensors on the doors that can be used to exit the house. This is a magnetic sensor and available quite cheaply and easy to install. It will make a very audible sound if the door is opened without turning it off when it is activated."


Alzheimer's Disease in India :
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us on our Facebook group. I am sure the other Caregivers facing similar situations there would be very moved by seeing all your efforts in making your mother feel comfortable through the disease.
Indeed, each testimony is important for us because other Family Caregivers in India, may find there the support and relief they needed, benefit of your "advises and tips" and you may even have enlighten their pathway then.
So dear Members and Reader, thank you for bringing hope, by participating even if you don't have a "serious" problem/case but even just feelings/thoughts are worth to share. It is really helping us in raising awareness on this disease, to bring support and knowledge for Dementia Care Management in India.

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