Staying healthy with dementia
For someone with dementia, it’s important to remain as fit and healthy as possible. The better they feel, the better life will be for them and those around them.
Staying healthy with dementia
A person’s health and wellbeing is affected by many different factors. This page explains some of these factors and looks at adjustments that can be made to the person’s lifestyle or environment in order to boost their health.
It is important to keep in mind that a person’s health will depend a lot on them as an individual. Each person will have interests, preferences and routines, as well as different physical needs and abilities. Being able to follow their routines and continue to enjoy their interests will impact on a person’s wellbeing as much as some physical factors, so it is important to remember to treat them as an individual.
Spotting a problem
It is important that everyone involved in the life of the person with dementia keeps an eye on their state of health. As the dementia progresses, they may become less able to identify health problems or to tell others about them, so it is important to look out for signs that the person might be in pain or discomfort.
If you help them wash or dress, discreetly look out for cuts and bruises in case they have any injuries that they haven’t told you about. Also look out for rashes or sore places. Any red patches that don’t go away after a few hours could be pressure sores, so tell the GP or district nurse immediately.