Mindfulness and its place in dementia care

Mindfulness is all about remaining in the present moment and about being aware of what is around you and going on at the same time. It is about being observational to things, ways of being and is a good tool to support mental health. It is thought that mindfulness can be a useful tool in dementia care for both the dementia patient and for the carer. Mindfulness centres on being aware but in a non-judgemental way, which is a tricky concept to explain but in practise it is about noticing the triggers that can cause you to be unhappy, depressed or anxious and putting in place your own self care routine to look after yourself and support your own needs. 

How can mindfulness help the dementia patient?

In recent research tests, it has been shown that mindfulness did seem to improve the cognitive functions, including an improvement in memory, attention and speed taken to process information. More extensive research needs to be undertaken to understand the impact but the practise of mindfulness focuses on having a fresh perspective to the thought process that our brains may have already judged. If our brains are quite processing thoughts as quickly, or in that manner, mindfulness can help to give the dementia patient the tools to recognise that distressing moments or events may pass. They can use this tool as a way to manage anxiety that they may start to feel in an overcrowded or noisy space. By holding onto these thoughts, of being mindful in the present, the dementia patient can use this to strengthen their resolve during anxious episodes. They may recognise the triggers or initial feelings of anxiety and know to engage in a certain routine that supports and helps them to remain calm. Such as listening to music. 

How can mindfulness help the carer

The dementia carer can also use the benefits of mindfulness to remain in the present moment and to know that stressful moments within the dementia patient’s care will pass. The ability to be mindful of triggers that may exacerbate anxiety or agitation will be great tools in the care of a loved one who suffers from dementia. By being self aware, you will recognise when you need to ask for help and to seek support in providing the care for the dementia patient. The practise of mindfulness can also support the carer in times when their own mental health may be suffering, helping to build a greater resilience when times may be tricky in dementia caregiving. 

Summary

The fact that mindfulness is a practise that the dementia patient and carer can practise together, makes it an exercise that they can support and encourage each other to undertake. Again research is all new into this area, but the benefits of mindfulness may also help to reduce the progression of dementia within patients. It is also thought that by building resilience and tackling our response to stress, by recognising the signals early enough and changing behaviours may reduce the impact that stress can have on brain cells. It is thought that anxiety can impact the brain by speeding up the ageing or destruction of brain cells, so by reducing levels of anxiety, and remaining calm within situations, our body is retrained to protect our brain cells.