Holistic Alzheimer’s Care at Home: Beyond Medication
Caring for someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is tough. But the journey is even tougher for people with the disease. Scientific research and pharmaceutical drugs currently offer the most effective means of managing dementia symptoms and slowing disease progression. However, if other effective strategies emerge, healthcare providers should integrate them into treatment plans to enhance patient outcomes. Now, these strategies would belong to a wider area of medicine, holistic approaches to care, and complementary approaches to medicine. They incorporate physical and emotional techniques that take a broader approach, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit, rather than solely targeting specific system failures like traditional medical interventions. However, some holistic approaches may also address specific health concerns. Understanding Holistic Care The principal is that people are inherently complex: holistic care is whole-person care, concerned with a steady equilibrium rather than the acute relief of a disease’s symptoms. In the case of Alzheimer’s, this means attending to physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs through any number of nonmedical strategies. Added to medical treatments, this approach can create an environment that is supportive of a good life for people with dementia. Key Holistic Approaches to Alzheimer’s Care Mind-Body Techniques Engaging in Cognitive Stimulation Social Interaction and Emotional Support Creating a Comfortable Environment Nutritional Support Physical Activity Complementary Therapies Implementing Holistic Approaches at Home Develop a Routine Adapt to Individual Needs Involve Caregivers and Family Seek Professional Guidance Benefits of Holistic Approaches Enhanced Quality of Life Better Symptom Management Strengthened Relationships The principles of holistic care can improve the quality of life for people who receive home care. Through the promotion of mind-body techniques, cognitive stimulation, emotional support, and environmental interventions, carers can provide hands-on care that complements the treatment provided by doctors. Tailoring the approach to each person, adapting to individual needs, training caregivers and family members, and using complementary resources in the community are important elements of these approaches. With a commitment to holistic care, the caregivers can create a care landscape that allows the sufferer to experience a better life that more appropriately responds to the etiologically complex, multidimensional and holistic needs of the individual with Alzheimer’s, and that is of an equal or better quality than that achieved through a focus on medication alone.
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