Daily Routine: 6 Tips for Alzheimer Caregivers

When caregiving for an Alzheimer’s patient, having a daily routine can make things easier for both you and your patient. Here are 6 tips to help you create a simple plan for your day.

• It helps if your routine can be based on how your patient used to organize his or her day.  Familiarity will make the plan easier for the patient to follow.
• Try to remember to take into account your patient’s likes and dislikes. If your patient doesn’t like an activity, having Alzheimers is not likely to change those preferences.
• Remember to allow extra time for activities such as bathing and dressing. These activities begin to take more time as the disease progresses.
• Activities such as daily walks can help reduce agitation.
• As the patient’s abilities change, it’s important to be flexible with the routine, to accommodate these changes.
• Don’t forget! In order to avoid caregiver burnout, it’s important to schedule some time for self-care and personal enjoyment.