Dementia Care Journal

How to Use Journal

person you are caring for.

Instructions to complete ths document are as followed:

Print journal from pages 3-13

Complete by hand or electronically

Store in a place you frequent regularly check this document atleast once per week when its time to re-evaluate: reprint document

Have previous journal next to you

as you are completing new journal, contrast that with what you are currently seeing and doing

If changes are impactful, note that and contact health care professional

Winning starts Here:

To give your loved one, and yourself, the best chance of success, we have to first talk and define success, starting with some goals.

Success to us means stacking your wins, and enough wins throughout the day, keeps the day in perspective. Having the goals for care defined, and knowing what concerns you are actively having around the person living with dementia, will help you stay your path to success, including during challenging moments.

Ask yourself:

Concerns aside, what is the goals for the person living with dementia?

What are your personal goal for yourself?

a year from today, what would make you say, I provided a good quality of life for my loved one?

Goals for care now and as the journey progresses Define lifestyle and preferences

This is an expert from our book: Winning the Day & Overcoming Objections. Here is a link to your free copy via ebook:

https://issuu.com/jonahcfrancis/docs/myname

Care Team: A Care team - is a team of people who contributes to the well being of you and the person you care caring for. They are people you will rely on to help in various aspects of your loved ones journey.

This document to help you get an idea of what a Care team may look like for someone living with memory loss or Dementia.

Psychiatrist

All Diagnoses

Geriatrician

Counselor

Friends

ElderLaw Attorney

Financial Status

Support Groups

Plans for Future

AdultDay Care

Your Care Team:

Use this section to ask and confirm who is apart of your care team and how they are willing to help.

Use the diagram from the previous page as a reference for possible team members.

TeamMembers

Theircommitment

Home

Adapting:

Let’s create a DEMENTIA SAFE environment –purposely in every room!

Goals:

1.

2.

Remove triggers & distractions make adjustments to affect mood, emotion, and a room specific experience

1. Scents around the home

Consider essential oils & scents for mood

Remove scents that can be offensive

2. Declutter the home – keep it open.

Remove things they can bump into or trip over Keep the home well lit remove items they can no longer operate safely or causes them to be triggered are accounted for and removed

Keep things in the appropriate places to avoid confusion. Like pillows in the bedroom.

3. Introduce feel good

Mechanical or real pets

Sensory blankets

Remove things that looks like food or expired foods

4. Smart installments

Reposing doors and window locks monitors

5. Introduce the right sound.

Set the right tone, which isn’t always music. Consider white noise

Meaningful Engagement: Ideas of things you can do together!

GoForawalk

Makeanicecream sundae

ListentoMusic (newandoldies) Readyoufavoritechildhood book

watchatalkshow Playwithaslinky clipcouponsandseehow muchyoucansave

Gardening

waterplants orpickflowers Writealetterorcardtoa familymember

haveafriendbring apet cookingorbaking haveafternoontea

lookthroughold photoalbums TaiChi (Otherexercises) stretch

putapuzzle together

colorpictures

talkaboutfovorite memories

browsepinterest

createamenufor theweek makeacraft

watchaballgame volunteertogether

createafamilytree

giveamakeover

takearidetogether

Goshopping /makeashoppinglist

visitplaceslike: mall,park,beach, orlibrary peoplewatch (almostanywhere) dance

facetimealoved one

haveapicnic

takeacarride

doamanicureathome orgetoneontheroad

haveafashionshow

givehandmassage

Meaningful Engagement:

Now its your turn. Here's a start when considering an activity:

1 What they did ex Mom did all our laundry growing up

2. Modification for that activity ex. mom might like passing time folding clothes

3 If you need some hlep coming up with ideas, refer to the previous page.

Whattheydid Modification

Activity Tracker:

Daily things to keep track of, and how they reacts towards i

Waketime

Sponge batheorshower

Pushfluids

Every2hours

Toileting

Every2hours

Breakfast Morning Meds

Dressing

Activity/ Exercise TV Nap 30mins

to1hourmax

NoonMeds

Lunch

Pushfluids

Every2hours

Toileting

Every2hours

Activity/Exercise TV Nap Dinner

PushFluids

Toileting

Nighttimemeds

Sponge batheorshower

Changeclothes

Bedtime

Activity Tracker:

If there are tasks to be completed on certain days, list here

Behavioral Triggers & Redirect

Consider and answer the following:

What are the behaviors we are currently aware of?

what triggers them?

Strategies to avoid and overcome those behaviors?

KnownTriggers

Ex.SeeingReflection Getsangryandstarts screaming

TellMs.Smithitwasafriendwho stoppedbyandimmediateask hertofollowyoutogetsomeice cream,shelovesicecream, whileguidingherawayfromthe reflection

Re-Evaluation:

Every 4-6 months you must assess your loved one based on where they are now, and adjust care plan based on their current abilities and need.

Changesindiagnosisor

ChangesinMedications (updatemedlist)

Changesincontinence

Changesinabilitytogroom

Changesinabilitytobeleft aloneforperiodsoftime

Fallingorunsteady

Changesinweight

Changesinabilityto Preparemeals

ChangesinEatingability

ChangesinabilitytoPlaya gameofskill,workingona hobby

ChangesinabilitytoPay attentionto,understanding, discussingTV,book, magazine

Changesinabilityto Communicate

Re-Evaluation Part 2:

MemoryImpairment

Confusion

AggressiveActions(iethrowingthings)

AggressivePhysically(iehitting)

AggressiveLanguage(ieswearing)

Hallucination

Paranoia

RepetitiveBehaviors

Wandering

Sundowning

Provide this to your loved ones PCP and nurologiest This will help them get a better feel for what you are seeing with your loved one.

Also, be sure to make notes on all changes, documenting exactly what you mean for each section.

Jonah C Francis