First, visit as often as you can. You are one of the most important people in the life of your loved one. But please understand that your loved one, if cognitively impaired, processes information and stimuli from the environment slowly. So when you visit, approach slowly and from the front, so that your loved one will have more time to adjust to the fact that you are there. Speaking in a calm and reassuring way can also help avoid an overstimulating, and possibly confusing, situation.

Limiting choices can also limit confusion. Selecting what to wear from a group of ten articles of clothing can be overwhelming; selecting from two articles can be more manageable and still help your loved one retain some measure of control.

Encourage your loved one to reminisce. Not only will this help connect them to an earlier stage of their life when they were more competent and in control, it may also give them the opportunity to bring some unresolved issues to a conclusion and gain a measure of peace.

And finally, keep your expectations realistic. We know this can be very difficult, but we are here to help you in any way we can.

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