Caring for a Loved One with a Frontotemporal Disorder
People that have a frontotemporal disorder often have a range of symptoms. This can include difficulty walking, trouble communicating, emotional issues, and unusual behaviors. Family caregivers are often faced with having to deal with day-to-day care, along with handling the medical needs of their elderly loved one. They are also in charge of managing social and family relationships for their elderly loved one, too. In-home care can help lessen the burden for family caregivers who are overwhelmed.
If you are caring for your elderly loved one who has this disorder, there is some care information that you might want to know.
Recognize the Illness
One of the things that you need to do is to recognize the illness instead of just the behaviors. By recognizing what is going on and not taking things so personally, that can help a great deal in the way that everything is affecting you.
Treating Language Issues
If your elderly loved one has this type of disorder, they are going to experience language problems. When this happens, it is important that you, other family caregivers, and in-home care providers speak clearly and slowly. You should also use simple sentences, ask for clarification if something needs to be repeated, and wait for a response. You should not push your elderly loved one to answer you quicker as that can cause more frustration on both ends.
Manage Movement Issues
FTD causes issues with movement, too. This can affect your elderly loved one’s swallowing, walking, and balancing. You may need to hire in-home care providers to help them get around. You can also get your elderly loved one occupational and physical therapy.
Find the Best Treatments
If you are a family caregiver for someone with frontotemporal disorder, it would be a good idea to look into the best treatments for them. That way, you have more information when you get ready to speak with their doctor. You will also be able to better understand which treatments your elderly loved one is getting if you do the research on the treatment options.
Get Yourself Support
Another thing that you should do if your elderly loved one has FTD is to get yourself support. It can be extremely difficult having to deal with everything you are facing with your elderly loved one. You may feel scared, overwhelmed, alone, and irritated. These are just a few of the many different things that family caregivers often feel when their loved one has FTD. If you join a support group, however, that can help to reduce some of these negative feelings.
How In-Home Care Can Help
This is some of the most important care information for those with a frontotemporal disorder. If your elderly loved one has FTD, be sure to work on researching their condition. You should also talk to their doctor and consider in-home care providers to help with their care. If you do these things, along with following all the other tips mentioned here today, you can provide the best care possible for your elderly loved one.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/providing-care-person-frontotemporal-disorder
If you are considering in-home care in Summerlin, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.