How to live well with dementia?

There are lots of things you can do, or to support a loved one, to live as well as possible with dementia. Your plans for the future might change, but it does not mean you need to stop doing the things you enjoy. You just might have to do them differently.
 

Communication

Communication is a crucial way to let people know what we think, feel or need. It is also important for maintaining relationships with family and friends.

As dementia progresses, it can become difficult for the person to express themselves. It can also become difficult for a person living with dementia to understand what others say or mean.

People living with dementia may need to develop new ways of communicating with people. Family and friends will also need to develop new ways of communicating with a person living with dementia.

It can be helpful to slow down and take more time to speak and to find a quiet place to talk where there is little distraction.

For people living with dementia it can be helpful to let people know when you are having difficulty speaking or understanding and to describe the person, place or thing if you cannot recall the name. You might also find it helpful to give feedback on how their communications style works for you.

For carers, family and friends, it can be helpful to prompt, remind or help a person living with dementia if they are struggling to find a word or repeating themselves.

Dealing with isolation and loneliness

More than two-thirds of people living with dementia are thought to be living in the community. People living with dementia who are supported to live well in the community are more likely to stay in their homes longer and are less likely to enter residential aged care prematurely.

Communities play a critical role in encouraging inclusivity, respecting the rights of people with dementia and facilitating access to the services, supports, activities and spaces to which every Australian is entitled.

For Miya, ensuring her dad Robert was still able to live as independently as possible, and enjoy simple things like a trip to the café, was key to his wellbeing.

“Two amazing cafes locally allowed me to go in and pay my father’s bill monthly,” she said.

“They would always greet him with open arms, and he felt welcomed, and like he belonged.”

With the support of local cafes, Miya made some changes she knew would help her father on his regular visits and explained that a little understanding from the café staff about dementia helped her dad feel connected and a part of the community.

“They let me create a simplified one-page menu – ‘Bob’s Menu’ – which my Dad was able to order from,” she said.

“It just made things so much easier for him, and that’s where dementia-friendly communities play such an important role.

“The community plays such a big role in supporting people with dementia to live independently. Education and knowledge is power!”
 

Staying at home

A well-designed home can help people with dementia maintain their independence. Some suggestions to make your home more dementia-friendly include:

• Improve lighting by replacing current globes with brighter ones and installing sensor lights to reduce the risk of falls at night-time.
• Display personal items and photos. This helps prompt reminiscence and can reduce stress and anxiety.
• Place regularly used items in the persons line of sight.
• Group common items together so they are easier to find
• Use labels to help locate and identify items.
• Make sure hot and cold indicators are marked on taps.
• Replace appliances (when needed) with familiar and recognisable models.
• Use distinctive coloured doors and contrasting door frames to help with orientation

For more information and practical tips about how to live well with dementia, download The Dementia Guide.

You can also contact the National Dementia Helpline at any time and any stage on 1800 100 500 for support, information and advice.
 

Want to read more? Check out these articles: 

To my family and friends Heather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease four years ago. There’s much she’d like her family and friends to know about living with dementia, and how she’d like to be treated.  

What changes can I expect? Dementia affects people in different ways and at different times. So, what changes can you expect if you are caring for someone, especially in the later stages of dementia? 

How do I cope with the changes of dementia?  Experiencing changes may lead to a range of different emotions both for a person living with dementia and family, friends and carers. We explore some ways to process these changes. 

How can I plan for the future? Dementia affects people differently. One person may begin to lose the ability to handle money at an early stage, while others may keep these skills much longer. So how do you plan for these changes? 

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