Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate: Dr. Cynthia Speaks!
Topic: Dementia Support and Reality Orientation
The role of the caregiver is pivotal for loved ones with dementia who have lost time, space, orientation, and familiarity with life and family. They need cues to keep them engaged as much as possible, regardless of their reaction or awareness. While some remembrances may be lost forever, the caregiver’s role in engaging with loved ones living with dementia is essential and should never be taken lightly.
Let’s dig into an idea that may be unfamiliar to some of you, but it’s worth understanding. Reality orientation has been researched as far back as 1966. It has been described as a method used in dementia care to help loved ones recall life events.
Why Is This Concept Important?
Reality orientation has shown promise in helping dementia patients recall family members, past experiences, events, and activities before cognition is interrupted.
Ways You Can Engage Loved Ones With Dementia
You can help your loved ones with dementia using reality orientation, such as pictures, videos, stories, familiar clothing, or visiting vacation spots. The goal is to re-engage and stimulate dementia loved ones in an attempt to reclaim past happenings and reduce cognitive deficits. Whatever we can do to improve the quality of life of our loved ones facing dementia is our responsibility as caregivers. Reality orientation becomes grossly vital when loved ones live in nursing homes outside of their familiar environments.
As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, when loved ones face the debilitating consequences of dementia, reality orientation is one way of interacting with them using events, pictures, videos, and other lifetime events to infuse joy, if only for a short time. Be Safe! Be Well!
Dr. Cynthia J. Hickman is a retired registered nurse and case manager, CEO of Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, and author of Essential Caregiver Training Course for Corporations and Community: From the Lens of Daughter, Nurse, and Caregiver: A Journey of Duty and Honor, and The Black Book of Important Information for Caregivers.
Website: www.cynthiajhickman.com
