Welcome to Alicia’s monthly advice column where she’ll provide tips on caring for a loved one with dementia. Alicia Seaver is the VP of Memory Care Operations and is a Certified Memory Impairment Specialist.
As a caregiver, surely you’ve heard practicing self-care is essential in order to provide the best care for others. It makes sense—if you go to work sick, tired and distracted by personal anxieties, your performance that day is typically subpar to what it is when you’re healthy, rested and fully present.
There are many different dimensions to self-care, from the physical and emotional to the social and environmental, and what constitutes self-care can vary widely between different people. But for those who care for a loved one living with memory impairment, there is a certain type of self-care that seems especially relevant: maintaining one’s own brain health.
The following habits can help keep your body and brain healthy and potentially reduce your risk of cognitive decline:
Physical health and exercise. Evidence continues to suggest that many factors that increase the risk of heart disease, including smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, may also increase the risk of dementia. Aim to get 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five times a week. Get your “numbers” checked regularly, including weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and make sure to seek treatment to keep yourself within healthy ranges. If you have diabetes or other medical conditions, manage them properly. Avoid alcohol in excess and smoking altogether.
Get enough sleep. Six hours or more per night is recommended. Not only does adequate sleep boost mood, energy and immune system function, it also may reduce buildup of an abnormal protein called beta-amyloid plaque, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. If you lose sleep as a result of conditions such as insomnia and sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about a treatment plan. Inadequate sleep, especially when it becomes a pattern, can result in problems with memory and thinking.
Take action to minimize stress. Seek professional assistance to address anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns, all of which can make it extremely difficult to function each day, let alone care for another person.
Maintain a healthy diet. Eating well improves blood flow to the brain, reduces inflammation, preserves memory, reduces the onset risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and protects against the formation of damaging plaques in the brain. Incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into your diet, which are great for brain health. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, dark chocolate and coffee, tea or red wine. Try to limit your consumption of red meat, sweets, sugary beverages, salty snacks and artificial sweeteners.
Exercise your brain. Engaging in cognitive activities helps maintain brain health by promoting your brain’s ability to form new cellular connections, as well as strengthening existing connections. These activities include reading, learning a new skill or language, playing strategy games like chess or “brain games” like Sudoku or crossword puzzles, and taking classes.
Stay socially active. Studies show that people who engage in activities with a high level of interaction within their communities experience the slowest rate of memory decline. What’s more, social engagement provides emotional support, enhances intellectual stimulation, and helps to reduce stress and combat depression. There are many ways to stay socially active—volunteering, joining a book club, spending time with friends or family and attending events within your community are just a few ideas.
While these are just a few tips to consider, what’s great about them is that in addition to encouraging brain health, they also benefit your physical health and emotional well-being. Practicing self-care won’t completely eliminate or prevent stress due to caregiving, but it will better equip you to deal with the challenges you face, which in turn allows you to provide your loved one with better care.
If there is a topic you would like Alicia to discuss, please send suggestions to [email protected].