[Medical Q&A] How should family members care for patients with Alzheimer's disease?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Tian Jinzhou, Chief Physician, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

At different stages of Alzheimer's disease, the patient's symptoms, living abilities and other aspects are different, and family members need to provide care based on their different needs.

In the early stage of the disease, patients often have memory loss as the main symptom, and are prone to losing things. Shopping and doing housework gradually become difficult, and their interests decrease, and they are not willing to communicate with others. Family members should spend more time with patients, chat with them, and recall the past with them, such as looking at old photos, listening to the patients' stories, etc.; arrange the patients' daily routine, and encourage the patients to do as many things as they can by themselves; arrange more social activities for the patients, such as gathering with old friends, visiting relatives and friends, and encourage the patients to have more contact with the outside world; encourage the patients to continue their previous hobbies, such as listening to music, painting, etc.; the home should be arranged safely and comfortably; prepare nutritious and easily digestible food for the patients; and supervise the patients to take the medicine correctly and on time.

In the middle stage of the disease, the patient's language expression ability, comprehension ability and spatial orientation sense will further decline, and more mental and behavioral problems will occur, such as emotional instability, suspicion and hallucinations, and sometimes they will not recognize their family members. At this stage, family members should try their best to maintain the regularity of the patient's daily life, guide and help the patient to do simple things; listen to the patient patiently, communicate with him in simple and easy-to-understand language, and use more body language; if the patient loses his temper, first understand the specific reason, do not argue with him directly, and divert his attention to do something else; the patient's daily living ability gradually declines, and family members should assist the patient in bathing, dressing, and defecating and urinating; when the patient goes out, try to have someone accompany him to prevent him from getting lost.

In the late stage of the disease, the patient can no longer take care of himself or herself, and may even be bedridden. He or she needs the care of his or her family for eating, defecation, and urination. At this time, family members should help the patient eat safely, pay attention to turning over and patting his or her back, keep him or her clean, and prevent infection, so that he or she can live as comfortably as possible in the final stage.