How to prevent your loved one from losing things
When someone living with dementia frequently loses things, it can be frustrating and cause anxiety. Here are some tips, actions, and recommendations to help them cope with this challenge:
1. Create Designated Spots for Important Items
Establish specific places: Encourage placing commonly used items (like keys, glasses, wallets) in consistent, designated spots. For example, have a tray or hook by the door for keys.
Label storage areas: Clearly label drawers or bins for specific items to make it easier for them to know where things belong.
Use visual aids: Attach pictures of items to their designated spots as reminders of where they should go.
2. Reduce Clutter
Simplify the environment: Minimize unnecessary items to reduce the likelihood of things getting lost. Keep only essential objects in easily accessible places.
Organize regularly: Frequently tidy up and organize rooms so that misplaced items can be easily found, and the individual can feel more in control.
3. Use Technology and Tools
Tracking devices: Attach Bluetooth trackers (like Tile or Apple AirTags) to frequently lost items such as keys, wallets, or phones. These can be easily tracked using a smartphone or other device.
Use alarms or alerts: Devices that beep or light up can help locate frequently lost items like remote controls.
4. Keep Important Items in a Safe Place
Create a safe space: Keep particularly valuable or frequently lost items in a secure, known spot. For example, ensure that car keys or medication are stored in locked drawers or a box to prevent accidental loss.
Have duplicates: For things that tend to get misplaced often, like reading glasses or keys, consider keeping backups in different rooms.
5. Develop a Routine
Encourage a daily routine: Having a consistent daily routine can help reduce forgetfulness and misplaced items. For instance, always leaving shoes by the door or keeping glasses on a nightstand can reinforce memory of their location.
Reminders and checklists: Set up a daily checklist for essential items (e.g., phone, wallet, glasses) to help them remember to carry or store them in the same place every day.
6. Offer Gentle Assistance
Help without blame: Offer to help look for items in a supportive and non-judgmental way. Avoid blaming or getting frustrated, as this can cause them to become more anxious and confused.
Ask questions to guide memory: Gently ask them where they last remember using the item, or suggest likely places it might be without overwhelming them.
7. Use Memory Aids
Create visual reminders: Use sticky notes or reminder boards to list where important items are stored. Placing a note by the front door that says “Keys on the hook” can be a helpful reminder.
Picture cues: Attach pictures of specific items to their storage areas or use visual schedules to remind them to put things back in their designated places.
8. Be Understanding and Patient
Offer reassurance: When they lose something, remain calm and reassuring. Say something like, “It happens to everyone” or “We’ll find it together,” to alleviate stress.
Focus on feelings, not facts: Sometimes, it’s more important to address their anxiety than to find the lost item right away. Offer emotional support and then focus on the practical steps to find the item.
9. Consider Professional Support
Occupational therapy: An occupational therapist can offer tailored strategies to help people with dementia manage daily tasks like keeping track of personal belongings.
Assistive technology: Explore options for specialized dementia care devices that help track belongings or alert them when something is misplaced.
By providing consistent structure, using memory aids, and offering compassionate support, you can help someone with dementia manage the challenges of frequently losing things.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
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