Support for people with dementia

Kenny Chui, Project Manager and Senior Training Consultant at the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, works most often with those living with dementia and their caregivers. He has compiled a few tips to consider when preparing to care long-term for a person living with dementia.

Family caregivers:

• Avoid relying solely on one caregiver/family member because should the caregiver become ill or have a sudden emergency, there will be no one else ready to offer immediate assistance
• The responsibility for care must be shared, and members must take regular turns caring for the person with dementia to avoid him/her labelling certain family members as controlling and some as “nice”, which could lead to unnecessary bias and misunderstanding between family members
• Regularly update the most recent status of the person with dementia among the family members to avoid some of them who are not in the know giving pressure to the caregiver
• Create happy memories together, for example: cook together, play games, etc. This will deepen your relationship and demonstrate support and affirmation

Domestic Helpers:

• Hire a domestic helper in the early stages of the disease so that an emotional connection can be made before complicated situations arise. This will also help the person living with dementia more easily accept being taken care of by others. The domestic helper can also understand that the changes in their behaviour are due to the disease, and not because of anything personal
• Allow the person living with dementia (especially if they are elderly) to take part in the process of selecting the domestic helper. This will show your respect
• Avoid emphasizing that the helper has been hired solely to look after the person with dementia because he/she may not feel the need to be monitored. Instead stress that the main duty of the helper will be to take care of children or help the family caregivers
• Arrange for the helper and the person with dementia to engage in happy things together so that each will have a positive impression of the other

Medical support:

• Public- and private-sector geriatric and psychiatric departments can offer dementia consultation/diagnosis, and there are also neurologists for special situations
• There are many memory clinics in Hong Kong, and a number of organisations/units are dedicated to offering support to those living with dementia and their caregivers
• Social welfare agencies offer initial assistance in District Elderly Community Centres, Neighbourhood Elderly Centres, and Day Care Centres for the Elderly. Visit the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing’s website on “How to Choose for Resources “

There is still a lot of misunderstanding and lack of information about dementia in today’s society. Kenny will share with us his thoughts and views.