Living with dementia

When the time is right for you, it is a good idea to talk to others about your dementia diagnosis. By explaining your diagnosis, and the ways it may affect your life, those closest to you can understand what dementia means to you and feel more comfortable offering help.

Maintaining relationships with friends and family after a dementia diagnosis will provide emotional stability and a sense of normalcy. It will also help your loved ones support you as your dementia progresses in a manner that respects your boundaries and personhood.

If you are friends with someone living with dementia you can download our Friendship and Dementia leaflet.

Download: Friendship and dementia

A healthy, balanced diet, drinking plenty of fluids and regular exercise may seem like everyday advice, but it takes on extra significance if you are living with dementia.

Making good food choices ensures your brain gets the nutrients it needs and even gentle activities such as walking, swimming or yoga can improve mood and help maintain cognitive function.

You can get more detailed information on healthy living with dementia by downloading our booklet

Download: Healthy living and dementia

If you have a long-term health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, try to attend regular check-ups with your doctor. Conditions like these affect your brain health and can also affect decisions around any medication prescribed for your dementia.

Talking to your doctor if you start to feel unwell is also important. Things like chest or urine infections can cause confusion if they are left untreated.

Your mental health is important too. Depression and anxiety can occur when living with a progressive illness like dementia, but it doesn’t have to stop you living well. Your doctor will be able to offer treatments that can help.

Your brain cleans itself while you sleep, flushing out waste products that build up throughout the day. Getting seven to nine hours of good quality sleep every night will help your brain function, provide necessary energy and encourage positive mental health. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol at night can also help with this.

Making time for yourself and relaxing during the day can also help reduce stress, which is a key part of keeping your brain healthy. However, you should try to avoid naps that will disrupt your sleep pattern.

Establishing a regular routine can make everyday tasks more manageable when living with dementia. Any of the following tips can help you to maintain certainty and confidence throughout the day:

• put a timetable on the kitchen wall or fridge to help plan the day
• get a diary or calendar for planning further into the future
• put items you need to hand, like keys or a purse, in the same place every day
• keep a list of helpful numbers by the phone
• make your regular bills payable by direct debit
• if you use medication, get a pill organiser box to remind you what to take and when
• use post-it notes and labels to help you remember important information e.g.
  • a note by the door to remind you to lock up at night
  • labels on cupboards to remind you where things are

Dementia friendly products and modifications can help you safely maintain independence in your home as your dementia progresses.

A needs assessment organised through your local council’s social work department can identify necessary home alterations, such as grab rails, but simple changes such as the following will also help:

• allow bright, even, natural lighting into your home where possible
• reduce glare and shadows, particularly on stairs and in the toilet
• use automatic light sensors to help navigation when waking at night
• avoid rugs and shiny floor surfaces to prevent trips or falls
• use contrasting colours to distinguish floors, doors, banisters and walls
• consider labels or see-through doors on cupboards to help identify their contents
• buying dementia-friendly products like clocks with larger displays, transparent kettles and toasters or a voice-activated digital assistant, like Alexa or Google Home, to set alarms and reminders

As your dementia symptoms progress you may wish to review your needs and how your dementia is affecting your day-to-day life.

Things you may want to consider include:

• investigating any benefits you might be entitled to
• legal matters such as power of attorney
• speaking to your employer about your workload if you have returned to work
• your ability to drive

Advice on these matters can be sought through your support workers, Citizens Advice Bureau and Alzheimer Scotland among others.