The link between lifestyle and dementia: how you can help your clients

As a paid carer, you might already have some experience of working with people with dementia. It’s a role that can be quite demanding and difficult, but requires lots of patience, skill and compassion. However, many of us only consider the impact of dementia at its onset, looking at ways to help our clients with everyday tasks and supporting them to be as independent as possible.[ADS]While this is an important caring responsibility in itself, should we be looking at ways to tackle dementia in our clients before it even presents? We know that the risk of dementia increases with age, and there are other unavoidable risk factors, such as gender and ethnicity. But there is also compelling evidence that there are further avoidable risk factors for dementia, in particular for vascular forms of dementia, that can be addressed before any symptoms occur.If you’re working with elderly clients and helping them with physical tasks – who do not have any early signs of dementia or are maybe just starting to present potential early signals – as a paid carer, you can help to support a lifestyle that may be beneficial and lower their risk level.Obviously, how much support you can give depends on the services that you have been employed or contracted with to provide. But if you are an active contributor to a person’s care plan, it’s certainly worth addressing some of these lifestyle changes as needed. 

1. Mental activity

It’s important for your clients to be using their brain in a challenging way to help it stay active. This could include something as simple as a daily crossword or puzzle, or taking part in a hobby, such as knitting or reading. However, you can also help by introducing problem-solving, asking questions and encouraging independence in daily activity. 

2. Medical conditions

Cardiovascular risk factors are significant when it comes to dementia. This includes Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and obesity. If your client has any of these medical conditions, then you can support them to live a healthy lifestyle that might help to manage or reverse these conditions. The best two ways to improve lifestyle is through increased physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet. 

3. Physical activity

Exercise throughout life is important. Where possible, you should work with your clients to help them stay physically active within their means. There are lots of resources these days that help with ideas for chair-based exercises, but if your client is fairly mobile then you can encourage plenty of walking, standing and mobility as part of their daily routine. 

4. Eat right

A good, healthy diet is another controllable element that can help to reduce the risk of developing dementia in later life. If you help to prepare any meals for your clients, you can help by making healthy choices. You may also be able to help with their shopping and gently encourage changes towards fresh, whole foods and lean meats. You should also encourage your clients to drink plenty of water with meals and throughout the day. If they are overweight, then losing weight can be hugely beneficial, but it is a sensitive topic and it may cross a line to broach the subject directly. If you have concerns, you could speak to your client’s family or doctor, and a healthier approach to eating might be included as part of their care plan. 

5. Mental health

Those who have depression in mid- to later-life may be more at risk of developing dementia. Depression can also be an early symptom of dementia itself, so it’s important to recognise and manage the condition, as well as monitor its progress. It’s worth speaking to your client’s doctor if you have any concerns about their mental health to get a treatment plan in place. There are other ways that you can help to support a client’s mental health, even if they don’t have any signs of depression and anxiety. It can help to get outside when possible, encourage them to join local groups or see friends, and spend time talking to them for companionshipThese lifestyle changes should be made in partnership with your client and/or their family. The focus is not on showing any negative judgement towards current lifestyle choices, but gently supporting them to move towards options that could help to reduce some of the potential risk factors towards the development of dementia in later life.