Learnings

1. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

• Six primary ADLs: eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, continence, and transferring.
• Dementia impacts the ability to perform these tasks (e.g., forgetting how to use everyday items).
• Routines, simplicity, and familiarity help residents succeed.

2. Environmental Sensitivity

• Residents with dementia are highly sensitive to cold, clutter, noise, and lack of privacy.
• Calm tones, step-by-step explanations, and simplified surroundings reduce stress.

3. Care Techniques

• Use hand-over-hand guidance to encourage participation.
• Maintain modesty during bathing with towels or robes.
• Organize supplies in advance to streamline grooming and dressing.

4. Toileting & Incontinence Management

• Watch for non-verbal cues (restlessness, facial expressions).
• Establish consistent toileting schedules.
• Use properly fitting briefs and respond to accidents respectfully and without judgment.

5. Mealtime Assistance

• Adapt food options with finger foods, soft textures, or cut portions.
• Use adaptive utensils like large-handled forks and rimmed plates.
• Limit choices to one or two options and provide visual cues.
• Minimize distractions by reducing clutter and background noise.

6. Mobility & Physical Independence

• Incorporate movement into routines (walking to meals, folding laundry, stretching).
• Use cueing and demonstration to model safe mobility.
• Avoid over-helping; allow residents to do as much as they safely can.

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Key Takeaways

• ADLs are central to dignity and independence. Each task is an opportunity for connection, not just a checklist item.
• Consistency is calming. Routines and familiar items ease anxiety and confusion.
• Independence is possible with support. Guiding, rather than taking over, builds confidence and ability.
• Movement matters. Daily mobility reduces stiffness, prevents falls, and supports overall well-being.
• Caregivers make the difference. Patience, empathy, and skill turn daily tasks into moments of dignity and care.