How do I help my loved ones follow guidelines?

Encourage everyday preventive measures, such as washing hands after touching surfaces. Loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer’s may not remember to wash their hands and may have problems with sequencing and moving through the process. Walk through the process with them, saying each step at a time — turn on the water, use the soap dispenser to squeeze out the soap, lather the back of your hands, get between the fingers, scrub under the nails, and wash for 20 seconds.

“Use your hands to model what needs to be done and use a soothing tone,” Reiss says. “Sing a favorite song for 20 seconds or use a fragranced soap such as lavender that they may like.”

Since frequent handwashing can dry out skin, keep a moisturizer on hand, especially because older loved ones may already have delicate and fragile skin. A non-scented lotion, such as Aquaphor or Eucerin, may help, as well as a lightly scented fragrance that they enjoy.

The CDC recommends that people keep their hands away from their face, so keep yourself and your loved ones busy with activities that involve the hands, such as laundry and towel folding, family albums and puzzles.

“It’s very hard not to touch our faces, and sometimes you don’t even know you’re doing it until you’ve already touched your face,” Reiss says. “Accept that people will touch their faces and just do the best you can with distractions.”

Related: How to Stop Touching Your Face So Much

Caregivers should also limit exposure to outside visitors, stock a supply of non-perishable foods, ensure that prescriptions are filled, and postpone activities outside of the home during this time. Have a variety of activities on hand to pass the time, such as favorite movies, music and family albums.

From Parade

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David Wingate is an estate planning and elder law attorney at Estate and Elder Planning by David Wingate. The Estate and Elder Planning office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick, Washington and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.

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