If you have been tasked with dementia care for a loved one, it is crucial that you record the struggles and victories of each day. In our previous blog, we wrote about the importance of setting SMART memory care goals each day, and today we will explore how and why to track the results over time.
Daily Logs & Charts
There are a number of effective ways to track your loved one’s challenges and successes over time, but going off of pure recollection is definitely not one of them. For instance, our staff keeps thorough logs for each patient each day in our memory care facility. Of course, you likely don’t have a round-the-clock staff of memory care experts at home with you, but even keeping a simple journal or visual chart can be a huge help in your treatment process. Many Magnolia memory caregivers simply use a “red, yellow, green” chart system with basic tasks shown over time as easily achieved, achieved with minor assistance, or not achieved each day.
Track Your Results
Having a daily log of any kind will likely prove to be very useful for future treatment. Doctors often ask vague questions, expecting vague answers, but if you can provide specific times and trends, then your doctor will be able to take a more hands-on approach to your home care and provide more pointed suggestions and options. If you notice that something has historically been a struggle and is not today, then it will be much easier to identify what has changed, and leverage that into potential future progress.
Our Memory Care Experts
If you are looking for help in caring for your loved one, you can trust the caring professionals at our Magnolia memory care facility to care for and challenge your loved one each and every day. We understand how difficult dementia care can be, and would love the opportunity to work with you and your family, starting today.
