Talking to someone with Dementia

It can be challenging to talk to someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Dementia attacks the brain’s executive functions responsible for logical thinking, reasoning, decisions, memories, and motor skills. If you are trying to convince your parent to receive more care or move into an Assisted Living community, you are already at a disadvantage.

I have had many conversations with people who have Dementia or cognitive loss, and I will be the first to tell you it doesn’t always go as planned. When you sense that they are becoming irritable or uncooperative, it is a great time to redirect them to another conversation and adjust your approach for next time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

You will see progress in your conversations with a loved one with Dementia or Alzheimer’s if you follow these best practices. Your goal for these conversations is to build trust and raise their overall mood.

  1. Build rapport – small talk
  2. Find common ground – what you have in common.
  3. Be patient and listen (steer them away from triggers)
  4. Don’t correct them – let them be wrong
  5. Be on their team – agree with them a lot.

Your goal is to make your loved one feel safe and know that you are their advocate. Trust building doesn’t happen overnight, but it can be a very effective strategy. Ask for help if you need it, and we all need it.

Selling a Home for Mom and Dad  

I help you a lot about what happens before someone is placed into Assisted Living or a care home, but I never speak about what comes next. The first thing on most people’s minds is what they need to do to sell a home. Selling a home is a big project, and chances are you need some help.

Some questions to ask:

  • Are you going to sell the home?
  • Will rent the house?
  • Need to use the home?
  • Home to have an estate sale?
  • Do you need to donate specific items?

I work with local real estate professionals that have expertise in selling a home for an elderly family member. Not all agents do an excellent job at this. Especially if you are trying to do all of this remotely, remember that emotions also play a huge role. They need someone who can relate to them. Let me know if this is the stage you are in and if you need some guidance. I am happy to help.

Give me a call at (805)748-2614

Seling a home you have lived in for many years is stressful on your body and mind. Not all seniors are physically able to pack things up, move items around and lug boxes down the steep stairs. As difficult as that sounds, it pales to the mental and emotional stress when transitioning to a new home. Most times, seniors are downsizing to a much smaller footprint, which typically means they can only bring a small number of things. Working with people who understand the emotional side of moving is very important to your parent’s well-being.

We have created a local network of real estate professionals who are the county’s top performers. Some realtors on the list have the special designation “Certified Senior Housing Professional,” They have received additional training and knowledge about late-in-life transitions.

My network includes

  1. Local/Neighborhood Realtors
  2. Guidance with additional services like moving, cleaning, and repairs
  3. People who have experience helping seniors
  4. What to do with the “stuff”!!!
  5. Knowledge of Senior Friendly Living Choices

Whether you are looking to stay in your home for as long as possible, rent your home and live somewhere else or sell your house, your home’s assets are typically the way people care for an extended amount of time.

Here are a few creative ways people use their real estate as a financial tool.

  • Sell their Home
  • Rent their home
  • Reverse Mortgage
  • Bridge Loan
  • Home Equity
  • Long term Care Insurance

When choosing an independent caregiver, you are ensured that you will have someone screened and experienced. Since you know your loved one better than anyone, you must make sure the caregiver and the client are a personality match. Selecting an assisted living community or care home personality to match the other residents and the staff is critical to a successful long-term relationship.