Tactile stimulation
People with dementia and for that matter people in the general aging process lose a lot of their senses or they decline greatly at the very least. Your sense of smell is much less than it used to be. Your hearing starts to go. Many develop neuropathy or decreased circulation of their extremities causing a lack of feeling. The sense of touch whether touching something interesting or having another person touch them helps dementia patients with concentration and relaxation.
Tactile stimulation helps calm and relax a person with dementia. We all like to be touched. It triggers positive emotional responses. We all know how good it feels to have someone wash your hair or massage your feet or back!
Tactile stimulation in dementia patients provokes those same feelings. Spending a little time fixing their hair or doing a manicure for instance, can not only help relax someone but is a good bonding mechanism. This time spent together can build trust in caregiver/patient relations. The care giver also benefits from this time because they also can relax a little and let go of some of the stress they are usually carrying around and communication is more relaxed and the patients concentration and speech has been shown to improve.
There have also been studies showing that aroma therapy is a very effective tool in helping calm and relax your loved one and to prevent outburst of anger or aggression.
I hope you find this helpful. Try it out and see how it works for you. I know some of the best times I spent with Mom was while fixing her hair and listening to her talk about her childhood. It seems that for whatever reason she would be so relaxed and calm. Smiling, laughing and it triggered memories that she shared with me. It was a wonderful time and memory maker! She also enjoyed having her nails polished.
Thank you for visiting!
Jean
Tactile stimulation helps calm and relax a person with dementia. We all like to be touched. It triggers positive emotional responses. We all know how good it feels to have someone wash your hair or massage your feet or back!
Tactile stimulation in dementia patients provokes those same feelings. Spending a little time fixing their hair or doing a manicure for instance, can not only help relax someone but is a good bonding mechanism. This time spent together can build trust in caregiver/patient relations. The care giver also benefits from this time because they also can relax a little and let go of some of the stress they are usually carrying around and communication is more relaxed and the patients concentration and speech has been shown to improve.
There have also been studies showing that aroma therapy is a very effective tool in helping calm and relax your loved one and to prevent outburst of anger or aggression.
I hope you find this helpful. Try it out and see how it works for you. I know some of the best times I spent with Mom was while fixing her hair and listening to her talk about her childhood. It seems that for whatever reason she would be so relaxed and calm. Smiling, laughing and it triggered memories that she shared with me. It was a wonderful time and memory maker! She also enjoyed having her nails polished.
Thank you for visiting!
Jean
