CareGiver360

Providers of dementia home care have taken on a unique challenge. Individuals with dementia-stemming from Alzheimer’s disease or other diagnosis-have decision-making problems, behavior issues, paranoia, anxiety and other symptoms that demand a lot of supervision and a consistent approach to care. These complications mean that anyone providing care to the person with dementia needs special training in how to handle this symptom.

Because of memory problems, individuals with dementia are less able to adapt to new circumstances, new people and new routines. It is therefore imperative to provide an environment that features consistent and well planned routines, as well as minimal staff turnover. Home care by a family member or loved one may provide more stability in terms of care personnel, but a stable daily plan is still vital for the well-being of the individual suffering from dementia.

One popular approach to care is dementia care mapping. Dementia care mapping involves a continuous improvement cycle of observation, recording results and using those results to better tailor care to the individual’s needs. When improvements are identified, they can be slowly integrated into the individual’s care plan. Rather than applying a blanket standard to all patients, dementia care mapping is more person-centered and is clinically proven to reduce agitation in patients with dementia.

Principles of dementia care mapping can be applied in the home setting. By systematically examining aspects of care, observing results and carefully integrating improvements, home care providers can help reduce agitation for the individual in their care-which in turn reduces stress for the caregivers.

CareGiver360®is an ideal tool for home care providers looking to introduce dementia care mapping principles. CareGiver360®’s Personal Care Guide tool organizes care instructions into easy-to-navigate categories, such as Behavioral, Daily Routine and Dietary and Feeding. Using CareGiver360’s care categories as a starting point, select an area to observe, record your findings and use those observations to further tailor care instructions to the individual’s needs. As an online, shareable tool, CareGiver360®is the ideal place to share your findings, collaborate with other care team members and record a consistent plan of care. Click here to sign up for a free trial of CareGiver360®.