How to Assist a Mentally Disabled Person
Mental disabilities are profoundly complex and create an array of challenges for the people suffering with them and for the caregivers who assist them. Such disabilities can be the result of a mental illness, the consequence of a genetic defect or they can come about after a brain injury, stroke or progressive Alzheimer's disease. The following steps are intended as guidelines to help those who assist the mentally disabled.
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Instructions
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Help the mentally disabled individual create a meaningful life. Regardless of the level of mental disability, every person needs to feel comfort and joy in their lives. Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the most often overlooked. Spend time singing with them, reading to them, swimming in nice weather and enjoying those tiny moments.
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Create a happy and safe environment. Mental problems can cause a person to feel uncertain and frightened much of the time. Help them make a room of their own that incorporates the colors, smells and sounds that give them pleasure. These small gestures can give the mentally challenged person a sense of calm.
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Develop a daily routine that is consistent and low in stress. Everyone can benefit from having a life that is in some measure predictable. But, for a mentally disabled person, this is absolutely imperative. A feeling of balance and security is provided to them by offering a day where meals are scheduled, free time for their own dreaming and self-entertainment is guaranteed, and little stress is allowed to interfere with their day.
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Give them the tools to develop their own creativity. Art and music therapy are wonderful ways to help the mentally challenged person express themselves in fun and open ways. This gives them a sense of pride and an outlet for their dreams, hopes, fears and passions.
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Focus on helping the mentally disabled find opportunities for integration with others who have similar disabilities. We all need to feel that we belong on some level, and mental problems do not change this fact. Find recreational opportunities at local mental health centers to give the mentally challenged person a chance to socialize, share time and share laughter with others.
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