Can You Visit a Dementia Patient Too Much?

When someone you love suffers from dementia, you still want to visit with that person and maintain a relationship. Even if your loved one has trouble remembering people or events, he or she can benefit from the social interaction and good feelings that accompany a visit.

But how often should you visit your family member or friend? Is there such a thing as visiting a dementia patient too much? Let's take a closer look.

Social interaction is key to improving the quality of life for dementia patients. Just one hour of personalized interaction each week, say researchers at the University of Exeter, can reduce agitation and aggression. 

Unfortunately, even the best care facilities can't provide this level of interaction for each patient. The average resident gets just two minutes of personalized attention per week. Visits from loved ones can help fill this gap and increase feelings of well-being.

Benefits of Regular Visits FOR Dementia Patients

There are many benefits when deciding to visit a loved one with Dementia and choosing to spend time with them.

A BBC survey found that 42% of people think there's no reason to visit dementia patients, especially if they don't recognize family or friends. But research shows that patients  – even if they forget their identity  – can have feelings of well-being during a visit and show reduced levels of agitation.

In addition, regular visits with one-on-one attention can help your loved one feel connected and socially engaged. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association found that the quality of life for patients with regular visitors was higher, based on personal, interpersonal and environmental factors. Dementia patients with regular visitors also show greater cognitive stimulation.

Balancing Visits with Individual Needs

Some patients, at some times, may seem unhappy with you during your visit. That's a sad reality of this devastating disease, but it can be challenging to plan visits that seem to just upset your loved one.

Try to balance the stage of dementia that your loved one is in with their preferences. Talk with the caregiving team to balance your desire to see your loved one, their needs for social interaction and connection and their behavior. You might consider shorter visits to see if that helps keep your loved one calm.

Signs of Overstimulation or Fatigue

Visits with a dementia patient can sometimes result in increased confusion or agitation. Because of the way the brain's frontal lobe is impacted by the disease, it's harder for a patient to be focused for periods of time. They may show signs of overstimulation like:

• Trouble following what you're saying
• Extreme frustration
• Anger or agitation
• Reduction in activity

When you see some or all of these symptoms of fatigue and overstimulation, you can wrap up your visit.

Quality vs. Quantity

Remember that quality visits are more important than quantity or frequency. Try to bring something from your loved one's past, like a favorite song or family photo, that can bring up happy memories.

Talk about their interests and hobbies and give them an opportunity to tell you stories from their past, even if you've heard them before. Make eye contact and address them by name so they know you're listening and interested.

Providing the Best Care for Dementia Patients

Talking and spending one-on-one time is beneficial to any patient with dementia. Plan regular, short visits to maintain connections and improve social interaction with your loved one.

As your family member navigates the challenges of coping with dementia, having in-home caregiver support when you can't be there is important. No matter how often you visit or how long you stay, you need the peace of mind that your loved one is properly cared for when you're not there.

The professionals at Thoughtful Care can provide assistance for those in the Kansas City area. Contact us to talk about our care options as frequently as 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.