JustBreathe

a magazine by HEALING HOTELS OF THE WORLD

  • Body
    • Health
    • Ayurveda
    • Detox
    • Anti-Stress
    • Beauty
    • Healing Water
    • Graceful Aging
    • Weight Loss
    • Fitness
    • Sleep
  • Mind
    • New Consciousness
    • Mindfulness
    • Meditation
    • Yoga
  • Soul
    • Spirituality
    • Food for Your Soul
    • Me-Time
  • Life
    • Holistic Lifestyle
    • Inspirational Podcasts
    • Inspiring People
    • Green Living
    • Charity
    • Design
  • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Healing Hotels
Close
JustBreathe
Close
  • Body
    • Health
    • Ayurveda
    • Detox
    • Anti-Stress
    • Beauty
    • Healing Water
    • Graceful Aging
    • Weight Loss
    • Fitness
    • Sleep
  • Mind
    • New Consciousness
    • Mindfulness
    • Meditation
    • Yoga
  • Soul
    • Spirituality
    • Food for Your Soul
    • Me-Time
  • Life
    • Holistic Lifestyle
    • Inspirational Podcasts
    • Inspiring People
    • Green Living
    • Charity
    • Design
  • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Healing Hotels

Caring for the Spirit of Persons Living with Dementia

Body, Graceful Aging, Soul, Spirituality November 9, 2020 Holly Shaw
Caring for the Spirit of Persons Living with Dementia

© Dominik Lange

Caring for a person living with dementia does not mean focusing on its practical aspects such as maintaining his physical health, ensuring safety, or checking if he eats properly. Caretakers should not overlook the spiritual aspect, which helps a lot in improving the patient’s ability to cope with his health condition and his quality of life.

You might also think that since they have communication problems due to severe loss of memory, the spiritual need does not matter anymore. Well, this is indeed a wrong idea. A person’s spiritual well-being brings profound effects physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 

The Significant Meaning of Spiritual Well-Being

Most people think about religion, when hearing about spiritual things. But, let us not forget that even individuals who do not have religious faith have their own systems of belief that give purpose and meaning to their lives.

spiritual wellbeing

These belief systems are expressed by means of culture, nature, creativity, family and relations. They have emotional connections in them and their significance becomes stronger as people age. Others turn to their beliefs and values when they face physical frailty and difficulties in life. This is the time when they need to get back to their senses, prepare for the future, and be hopeful.

 

When to Provide Spiritual Support

Here are the most obvious signs or situations to observe to determine if a patient, friend or parent is in need of spiritual support.

  • Shows feeling of anger and bitterness by often uttering about being useless, receiving unfair treatment or that he does not deserve a thing;
  • Feelings of abandonment or talking about feeling alone or lost;
  • Experiencing guilt because he has wasted his life or has been wicked;
  • Feeling that nobody understands or cares for him;
  • Perceiving that life is pointless and hopeless and just wants to give up. The common statements coming out from the mouth is ‘better to die’ or ‘what’s the point’;
  • Grieving for loss of the closest person;
  • Being agitated, confused or weepy due to fears;
  • Inability to verbalize feelings and not being able to understand what’s going on.

 

How To Provide Spiritual Support

living with dementia

Something can be called spiritual when it affects a person’s internal life experience and when it is associated with a sense of identity. Some situations include being valued, appreciated and respected, feeling understood and recognized, or receiving unconditional love.

It is also important that caretakers of people with dementia should continue helping them support their cultural behaviors or religious beliefs. These older adults should be a part of the community and retain their personal dignity. Do not forget to help them deal with loss of a friend, good health, a relative or independence. Lastly, they need to find hope, purpose and meaning no matter how they struggle with their health condition.

There are more specific ways to help persons living with dementia retain their spiritual connections to different aspects. These are the following:

 

Connections with Family, Friends and the Community

Let the patients retain their feelings of connection with the people who share similar value, tradition and belief. Jane Byrne, Project manager at a nursing home in Kildare notes that, “Distance should not be a hindrance to this goal. Use social media and other platforms such as video calls or sending photographs online. Let them speak to the telephone if possible especially on the important occasions in their lives like birthdays, grandchildren graduations, Christmas, or anniversaries.”

 

Creativity

If they love arts, let them spend a few hours on doing what they love – embroidery, painting, dancing, etc. They can decorate cakes, listen to their favorite songs, taking pictures or even write poems. These creative expressions give them the opportunity to reflect on their lives.

 

The Nature

Some people express their spiritual habits through nature. They stay outdoors, listen to birds chirping, seeing animals, or planting flowers and trees. They may just sit or walk in the garden or look at the stars or the sunset. People with dementia might want to share about her youth stories and how they spend much of their lives with nature.

 

Thoughts to Ponder

Providing care for the spirit of a person living with dementia varies from one person to another. This means that you need to know them well to figure out how you can be of help. You should show compassion and confidence in meeting and assessing the person’s spiritual needs.

 

Tags: care dementia elderly spirituality

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Food for Your Soul – A Column

Where do I Find Peace?

A retreat in the English countryside leads Claudia on a journey within. Here, she contemplates the concept of peace and inner truth. Read more →

Cold-Water Swimming: A Story on Breaking Habits

This is not just a story on cold-water swimming, but a profound insight into the journey a new dare entails and the results on body and soul. Read more →

When the Door Opens for Change

What is the meaning of change? How can we accept and deal with it? And what is the powerful message hidden beneath, if you dare to look? Read more →

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required

Trending:

Recent tweets

May 2, 2022 10:57 amToday's article highlights how exactly a Laughter Yoga class works, as well as the many reasons why laughter is so… https://t.co/Ulutc3Vdrv
February 23, 2022 15:56 pm“In every new beginning lies a true magic.” - Herman Hesse Anne Biging, founder and CEO of @HealingHotels reflects… https://t.co/MyQpqlB9gf
February 20, 2022 09:37 amMe-Time Sunday #10 💛 Check out today’s #MeTime article to read about @crothburns’s magical #Imbolc experience.… https://t.co/xuut9MtCMT
February 17, 2022 16:39 pmThere is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one. –Sue Atkins Welcoming a #newborn marks the begin… https://t.co/eeYD21A4Ew
February 10, 2022 17:28 pmDIY: Alchemistic Hand Sanitizer in 4 Steps. Modern alchemist Renate De Mario Gamper developed the concept of the Al… https://t.co/dlJ3TOivJh

Follow us on Twitter →

justbreathemag

justbreathemag
"The light in me, honors the light in you."✨ Li "The light in me, honors the light in you."✨

Light plays a central role in our lives. On the most fundamental level, through photosynthesis, light is at the origin of life itself. And on a spiritual level, light is a universal symbol of life, inclusion and renewal; associated with a spiritual awakening and and the opposite of the suffering that's associated with darkness.

This International Day of Light we're sharing an article (link in bio) by @ameliavogler_healing that highlights the importance of using grounding exercises to unleash and shine your inner-light; allowing you to tap into your 'higher-self' and live with calmness, kindness and compassion. 

#JustBreatheMag #JustBreathe #Healing #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Happiness #TreatYourself #TakeCare #Selfcare #BodyMind #Holistic #Life #Live #Positivity #Mindset #Lifestyle #LifeIsGood #HealthyLifestyle #HappinessIsAChoice #InternationalDayofLight #light
Are you a parent? How would you describe the role Are you a parent? How would you describe the role in three words?🚸 

Raising another human being can be an incredibly joyful, yet demanding job that comes with a unique set of challenges. 

Feelings of stress and anxiety are entirely normal but these emotions can have quite a detrimental effect on your health and well-being, and consequently your child’s health too. 

For this reason, managing parenting stress and anxiety is imperative. Today's article explores the simple ways you could do just that (link in bio). 

#Parenthood #Motherhood #Fatherhood #Mother #Father #Baby #JustBreatheMag #JustBreathe #Healing #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Happiness #TreatYourself #TakeCare #Selfcare #BodyMind #Holistic #Life #Live #Positivity #Mindset #Lifestyle #LifeIsGood #HealthyLifestyle #HappinessIsAChoice
How strong is your intuition?💚 Intuition is s How strong is your intuition?💚 

Intuition is something that is already within us that simply needs to be uncovered. So, how does one do that? 

Today's article (link in bio) by @thesagemethod highlights the steps that we can take to increase our confidence with our intuition - some simple and others more challenging. 

#JustBreatheMag #JustBreathe #Healing #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Happiness #TreatYourself #TakeCare #Selfcare #BodyMind #Holistic #Life #Live #Positivity #Mindset #Lifestyle #LifeIsGood #HealthyLifestyle #HappinessIsAChoice #Intuition
Have you ever wondered what happens at a soul read Have you ever wondered what happens at a soul reading session? ✨🙏

This enlightening experience involves opening your energies and frequencies for someone to read and expose them; allowing you to achieve a deeper understanding of yourself and your potential, as well as achieve answers to questions that are hidden inside your soul to truly heal.

Today's article (link in bio) takes you behind the scenes of a soul reading at @healinghotels' member @thehouseofaia; a breathtaking progressive retreat nestled in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.

#JustBreatheMag #JustBreathe #Healing #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Happiness #TreatYourself #TakeCare #Selfcare #BodyMind #Holistic #Life #Live #Positivity #Mindset #Lifestyle #LifeIsGood #HealthyLifestyle #HappinessIsAChoice #InnerPeace #SoulReading #soul
“Angels are all around us, all the time, in the “Angels are all around us, all the time, in the very air we breathe,” – Eileen Elias Freeman.😇

Are you someone who sees the same repeating numbers over and over? 

What about white feathers on your path or an overwhelming sense that you are being guided? 

Today's article (link in bio) by @angels_and_amethyst reveals the signs that angels may be communicating with you and the best way to respond. 

#JustBreatheMag #JustBreathe #Healing #Wellbeing #ConsciousLiving #Happiness #TreatYourself #TakeCare #Selfcare #BodyMind #Holistic #Life #Live #Positivity #Mindset #Lifestyle #LifeIsGood #HealthyLifestyle #HappinessIsAChoice #Angel #Angels #spiritual
Load More... Follow on Instagram

About JustBreatheMag

Just Breathe is an online magazine that was created to change minds, habits and hearts on the most important and current topics: health and wellbeing.

Powered by

Healing Hotels of the World Logo

Popular Tags

ageing anxiety Ayurveda balance beauty charity consciousness coronavirus detox diet DIY fear Fitness five elements gratitude happiness healing Healing Hotels HEALING SUMMIT health healthy nutrition inspiration intention interior Life lifestyle me-time Meditation mental health mindfulness new year nutrition podcast recipe self-love self care sleep spirituality stress sustainability transformation Travel weight loss wellbeing yoga

Behind the Scenes

  • Article Submission
  • About Us
  • Contact

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required
Legal Info | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Settings