Is a Routine Better When Your Dad Has Dementia?
When it comes to care-routines are ideal for staying on schedule. When your dad has dementia, is a routine better? Dementia adds new layers and challenges to staying to a schedule. Here are the pros and cons of a routine.

Home Health Care Highland Park IL: Dementia Tips
Benefits of a Daily Routine
When you have a daily routine in place, it helps you. You’re not going to spend time in the morning figure out what needs to be done. This frees up time for fun activities versus chores. A daily care routine for someone with dementia will include these tasks:
- Errands and work – Making appointments, getting work tasks completed, grocery shopping, etc.
- Exercise – Aim for 30 minutes and vary the exercises each day.
- Housekeeping – Switch them up so that you’re getting basic chores and extras like laundry or linen changes done.
- Meals and snacks – Make sure dietary needs are met and provide plenty of snacks throughout the day to stabilize blood sugar levels to avoid mood changes.
- Personal care, hygiene, and grooming – Showers, oral care, and medications are important for each day.
- Social and fun activities – Try to get in some social activities at an adult day center or support group and add fun activities like hobbies, puzzles, or reading.
A routine will make it easier for you. That’s one of the biggest benefits. Your dad may not recognize that there is a routine or even care. That can lead to problems.
Problems With a Routine
-Your dad’s mood will impact how well a routine works. If he’s having a harder day and is agitated, he’s not going to cooperate. He’s going to want to do things when he wants to. Trying to force him into completing tasks like showers, brushing his teeth, or eating a meal won’t work.
-You have to be reading to adjust the routine to match his mood. If he refuses to shower, you’ll need to move on to the next task and come back to it later. You may not be able to get him to shower at all, so it will get carried over to the next day.
-Home care services help both you and your dad. Consider making an arrangement where you have home care aides provide a routine for your dad. While caregivers are there, you’ll be able to de-stress and return to being a family caregiver with a clear head. If a routine isn’t working, go with the flow and return to the routine when your dad is ready.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care Highland Park, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.
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