What Does a Dementia Care Plan for LGBT Seniors Include?
Dementia care is a specialized form of caregiving for seniors who have conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease and memory loss. There is no cure for dementia and there are approximately 47.5 million people affected worldwide. Seniors who have dementia lose their memories and often become fearful when they experience periods of not knowing where they are, what’s happening around them, or why they are asked to do certain things. When seniors are in this state of confusion, their behaviors often become challenging and they will withdraw from their environment. This is why creating a dementia care plan that is tailored to each individual is important.
In many ways, a quality dementia care plan is even more important for seniors who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Oftentimes, LGBT seniors put off assistive caregiving due to fears of facing discrimination or having their privacy violated. In home caregiving is one of the best senior care options for LGBT seniors, because each home caregiver can work with their clients on an individualized basis. As a LGBT-Certified business, the Alegre Home Care agency ensures that all LGBT seniors in our care will receive the best caregiving services possible.
Dementia Care Plan for LGBT Seniors
Dementia affects different people in different ways. A dementia care plan is a person-centered caregiving routine that incorporates all of the unique personal needs of each client. An in home caregiver will work closely with their home care agency, senior client, and loved ones of their senior client to develop a care plan that will help their client live a quality life. In home caregiving aims to provide people with dignity, independence, self-worth, and empathetic treatment within the comfort of one’s own home. All of these factors are taken into account when creating a dementia care plan.
The best dementia care plan for LGBT seniors will include all of the qualities of a regular in home care plan, and will also incorporate the unique needs of LGBT seniors. The components of a dementia care plan include:
Routine hygiene
Medications and schedule
Exercise
Routine appointments
Treatment for health conditions
Activities that ease the symptoms of dementia
Personal interests, likes, and dislikes
Dietary needs and restrictions
Highest and lowest functioning times of the day
Bedtime routine
Morning routine when waking up
Creative memory boosting activities
Scheduled time with loved ones
Household chores
Procedures for transition times
Standard procedures for behavioral issues
Be sure to incorporate creative and engaging activities into a dementia care plan. There are many interesting and fun ways to improve cognitive function, boost memory, and reduce the symptoms of dementia — including loneliness, frustration, and depression. Puzzles, games, music, dancing, and gentle exercises such as yoga are all activities that incorporate a creative approach to dementia care.
In addition to this list, a dementia care plan for LGBT seniors can also include:
Advocacy against discrimination
Engagement with the client’s LGBT community
Mindfulness of triggering words, terms, and situations
Participation in LGBT events, such as Pride
Privacy concerns
LGBT seniors are part of a demographic that has historically placed them in the way of discrimination, prejudice and abuse. Being able to address their unique concerns is paramount to providing quality dementia care and home care services. When engaging with LGBT seniors, a home caregiver needs to take the utmost care to ensure privacy and confidentiality on all matters. This need for discretion also transfers over to discussions with the client's friends and family, as these people may not know about the client's lifestyle and orientation.
The Best Dementia Care for LGBT Seniors
In home caregivers at the Alegre Home Care agency receive specialized training in order to provide the best home care services to their LGBT senior clients. We ensure that all of our home caregivers have completed LGBT Cultural Humility Training. This is in addition to the dementia care training and continual education we provide to our in home caregivers. We are the only LGBT-Certified Home Care Agency in Northern California and are also recognized by the Business Times as the largest LGBT company in the San Francisco Bay area.
If you have questions about dementia care, senior care, or the specialized home care services we offer to LGBT seniors, please reach out to Alegre Home Care at one of our Northern California locations.
