When Seniors With Dementia Lose Interests: 10 Ways Hobe Sound, FL Memory Care Can Help

Behavioral changes are common among people with dementia, with many losing interest in daily activities. Apathy can make it difficult for those around them as the symptoms cause increased stress and frustration. Family members and caregivers can find it difficult to care for their loved ones with dementia. There is no known cure for apathy, but some dementia medications can help to relieve the symptoms. Hobe Sound, FL memory care offers help for people with dementia.

Dementia and Losing Interest in Life

Sometimes, senior adults appear to lose interest in life and withdraw from certain activities. This could be due to anhedonia, a common symptom of dementia or depression. Anhedonia describes the inability to experience pleasure or reduced motivation. Patients express disinterest in activities that previously pleased them. They often make statements such as “I don’t feel like doing it”. They withdraw from social activities and exhibit negative emotions towards others and themselves. Reduced emotional abilities cause them to withdraw from relationships.

Understanding Dementia and Apathy

More than 50 percent of people suffering from dementia experience apathy. Sometimes, those around them assume that the individual is depressed or even lazy. However, apathy is caused by changes in the brain and often begins before the patient starts to experience memory problems. Sometimes, caregivers confuse apathy and depression, but the two conditions are different. Unlike patients with depression, who are usually sad, those with apathy are indifferent and do not worry about their problems. Those with apathy do not experience happiness during activities.

Signs That a Person Has Apathy

Your loved one may be apathetic if:

• They do not display emotional responses to life events or good and bad news.
• They have reduced energy when performing daily duties.
• They fail to show curiosity about things happening around them.
• They have little or no interest in most activities.
• They do not worry about the symptoms they are experiencing.
• They show little interest in sharing feelings or ideas.
• They depend on others to make decisions or perform activities.

How Memory Care Can Help

Hobe Sound, FL memory care can help patients suffering from dementia regain interest in some activities. Some ways the care can help include:

1. Providing needed support and encouragement.
2. Empathizing with the seniors and paying attention to their behavior.
3. Showing individuals how to perform tasks or activities they may have forgotten.
4. Setting up daily routines that help to guide the residents.
5. Breaking down tasks into small steps to avoid overwhelming the individual.
6. Suggest different ways to perform activities.
7. Encouraging regular exercise to improve mood and combat stress.
8. Encouraging healthy sleeping habits to boost energy and improve cognitive function.
9. Providing nutritious diets to improve physical and mental health.
10. Encouraging socialization with other residents in the community.

Helping seniors with dementia to focus on positive moments can help to increase interest in activities. Recalling positive events or looking at videos or photographs can help. Seniors may also benefit from counseling or therapy. It can help them to work through different emotions.