Dementia Caregiving Easier with Nonverbal Communication Techniques
More than 82 million people are expected to have dementia by 2030. Worldwide, aging is creating challenges for family members and placing pressure on finances. Communication can be difficult for families and caregivers.
Perhaps you remember the movie "Cool Hand Luke." One of the memorable lines from the 1967 Paul Newman movie was, ""What we've got here is failure to communicate." The Captain, played by Strother Martin, said the line to Paul Newman, who played Lucas.
Communication is vital, whether it be at work, at school, or within groups of family and friends. With aging parents, communication becomes essential to help them manage fear and uncertainty related to the aging process and chronic diseases. Communication becomes much more challenging when your loved one has dementia.
It happens every three seconds - someone develops dementia. Over 50 million people live with dementia, which should double every 20 years, reaching 82 million in 2030 and 152 million in 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Memory Loss - A Reality for Many People
There is a good chance a loved one will have some memory loss, which might be you decades from now. Greater longevity brings challenges, especially for those who suffer from dementia, including Alzheimer's.
The burden of caregiving is placed on family members or paid caregivers when no other plan was implemented. Communication is one of the significant problems with caring for a person suffering from memory problems. Without the proper techniques, this can be a considerable struggle.
As the disease progresses, the communication skills of a person with Alzheimer's or dementia decline. They have more difficulty expressing thoughts and emotions. This leads to frustration for the caregiver and the person who suffers from cognitive impairment.
Communication with a person with Alzheimer's or dementia requires patience, understanding, and good listening skills.
Language Barriers Add to Communication Problems
For people with whom English is a second language, dementia will bring additional communication challenges. As a person's ability to communicate decreases, people with dementia may begin using the language they first learned when they were children. Fluency in multiple languages decreases as we get older. There is a tendency to retreat to a single language. This tendency is true even for those with a lifetime of bilingualism once dementia starts to set in.
Caregivers should discover their loved ones' first language and prepare themselves to speak it with them if possible.
Professional caregivers and family members caring for someone should understand that their native language will become dominant as the disease progresses.
Body Language and Communication
Our body language will greatly influence our ability to communicate with someone with dementia. Nonverbal messages and facial expressions we send with body language sometimes will not match the words we use. The mismatch will cause confusion for the person with dementia.
Daily Caring offers these six tips to help caregivers - How to Talk to Someone With Dementia: Calm, Positive Body Language – DailyCaring.
Are You Prepared?
Aging is something we can't avoid. It happens, and we should prepare our families and finances for the costs and burdens that come with declining health, mobility problems, dementia, and the frailty of aging.
Caregiving is a tough job for professionals who are trained, but for family caregivers, it can be demanding physically and emotionally. Most family caregivers are untrained and unprepared to be a caregiver. Not only is the job difficult and time-consuming, but the caregiver must also try to balance their other responsibilities with that of being a caregiver. Jobs and other family responsibilities don't go away when they must care for a parent.
While it may be too late for your older parents, for you, the time may be the right time to get a plan in place.
LTC Insurance - Part of Your Retirement Plan
Affordable Long-Term Care Insurance should be considered part of your pre-retirement checklist of things to put into place. The chance of you needing some type of long-term health care is significant. The rapidly increasing cost of care services will impact your 401(k) IRA 403(b) SEP and other savings.
These costs will also adversely impact both you and your spouse's lifestyle and legacy. Long-Term Care Insurance will provide quality care options in your home or a facility, including assisted living, memory care, and adult daycare. This will give your loved ones the time to be family instead of caregivers. For many people, this is peace of mind knowing this pressure will not be placed on those you love.
When you plan in your 40's or 50's when your health is much better, premiums are very affordable - How Much Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cost? | LTC News.
While you can still find good value if you are older, it becomes more difficult because your health may prevent you from getting preferred health rates or even prevent you from obtaining coverage to start with.
Find a Long-Term Care Insurance specialist who represents all the major companies. Learn about Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership plans that provide additional asset protection. Learn about so-called hybrid plans. While these plans are expensive, they offer death benefits (in addition to long-term care benefits) that might be attractive to some people.
Long-Term Health Care Costs Soaring Nationwide
Inflation, high labor costs, and increasing demand for care make long-term health care costs soar. The costs vary depending on where you live and the type of services you require. It would be a hardship for most people if you had to pay an additional bill of $4000 or more a month today. When those costs are double in the decades ahead once you are retired, it is more than just a hardship.
Learn about the costs of long-term health care in your area or an area where you might move once you retire. You can start here and find your state or the state you're interested in: Cost of Care Calculator - Choose Your State | LTC News.
It is best to start this process before you retire. Simple and affordable advance planning can easily achieve peace of mind for you and your family. It is best to start this process before you retire. Peace of mind for you and your family can easily be achieved with simple and affordable advance planning.
About the Author
An LTC News author focusing on long-term care and aging.
James Kelly
Contributor since August 21st, 2017
Editor's Note
If you need long-term health care today, the costs will run from $3000 to $10,000 a month, depending on where you live and the amount and type of care you require. That is not cheap. However, those costs will be dramatically higher if you need care in 15, 20, or 25 years.
You need to prepare for the costs and burdens of aging. People need long-term health care due to declining health, mobility problems, memory issues, and the frailty of aging. Since health insurance and Medicare (including supplements) will only pay for a handful of days of skilled care, you will be responsible for your future long-term care.
You will either self-fund and pay for professional care out-of-pocket, your family will provide care, or a combination of both. Unless you have little or no income and assets and qualify for Medicaid, being prepared will protect assets and reduce family stress.
The solution is affordable Long-Term Care Insurance. You will have access to your choice of quality care services, including in-home care. Your loved ones will have the time to be family instead of caregivers.
Most people obtain Long-Term Care Insurance in their 50s when they can take advantage of good health and lower premiums - How Much Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cost? | LTC News.
Planning Tools and Resources Available on LTC NEWS
Planning for the future is never easy, but long-term health care planning can be very complicated and comes with many emotions. Getting the right tools and resources will make the process much easier.
One of the goals is to reduce the stress and anxiety usually placed on your family at the time of crisis. LTC NEWS can be beneficial in providing you with important information for you to consider.
LTC NEWS has put in place several resources, including:
- The LTC NEWS Cost of Care Calculator will show you the current and future cost of long-term health care services where you live. Plus, each state has vital state-specific information you should know - Cost of Care Calculator - Choose Your State | LTC News
- The Ultimate Long-Term Care Guide is an outstanding read to help you get a good overview of the topic area.
- Compare the major insurance companies that offer Long-Term Care Insurance products here - Top Insurers for Long-Term Care Insurance | LTC News.
- A detailed tax guide that includes available tax incentives can be found by reviewing the Long-Term Care Tax Benefits Guide.
You might have questions and LTC NEWS provides the answers for many of the most asked questions here - Frequently Asked Questions | LTC News. Find all the resources available on LTC NEWS - Resources for Long-Term Care Planning | LTC News.
Seek Professional Help Planning for Long-Term Care
Long-term care is a very specialized area, and few insurance agents and financial advisors have the expertise. Find a specialist who represents the top companies as premiums can vary over 100% between insurance companies. Leading specialists will often have over 500 clients with Long-Term Care Insurance.
A specialist will save you money, and you will have peace of mind knowing they are making the appropriate recommendations - Work With a Specialist | LTC News.
Experts recommend seeking the help of a qualified and experienced Long-Term Care Insurance specialist to help you find the right coverage. A specialist will match your age, health, and family history with the right coverage at the right price.
Help for Older Parents
If your loved one is lucky enough to own a Long-Term Care Insurance policy, be sure they use it. Sometimes families wait, thinking they can save the benefits for a rainy day. Waiting on using available Long-Term Care Insurance benefits is not a wise idea.
If your parent or parents need help be sure to get them quality care. LTC NEWS can help. We have put together several comprehensive guides to help you in your process.
Start by reading our guides -
- Finding Quality In-Home Care | LTC News
- Adult Day Care Centers (ADCCs) | LTC News
- Assisted Living and Memory Care Facilities | LTC News
- Finding a Quality Nursing Home | LTC News
Get Assistance in Filing a Long-Term Care Insurance Claim
Many insurance companies have issued Long-Term Care Insurance policies over the years. Filing a claim can sometimes be complicated unless you know what to do or get expert help and assistance.
Don't allow the claim process to stop you from using the benefits available in an LTC policy. Quality care obtained early will help provide a better quality of life and reduce the risk of a deep decline and facility care.
If you need help in starting the process of a Long-Term Care Insurance claim, LTC NEWS can help. LTC NEWS provides free assistance with no obligation to help you or a loved one complete the claims process with a Long-Term Care Insurance policy. We have teamed up with Amada Senior Care, who will do all the work - free with no obligation.
Get help finding quality caregivers or long-term care facilities and get recommendations for a proper care plan, whether a person has a policy. - Filing a Long-Term Care Insurance Claim | LTC News.
Advantages of Reverse Mortgages
Today's reverse mortgages for those aged 62 and older could be an ideal resource to fund a Long-Term Care Insurance policy OR even provide money to pay for care if you, or a loved one, already needs help and assistance. You might be eligible at younger ages as well.
Some people have much of their savings invested in their homes. With today's reverse mortgages, you can find ways to fund care solutions, care itself, and even help with cash flow during your retirement.
Learn more by asking questions to an expert. Mike Banner, LTC NEWS columnist and host of the TV Show "62 Who Knew" will answer your questions regarding caregiving, aging, health, retirement planning, long-term care, and reverse mortgages.
- Just "Ask Mike." - Reverse Mortgages | LTC News.
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Email your story idea or article: newsroom@ltcnews.com - LTC News Contributors | LTC News
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Learn more about how LTC NEWS can help you market your business, drive traffic, and improve SEO - Advertise With Us | LTC News.
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