If the person with FTD becomes difficult to bathe, try this:

1. A sponge bath in the tub or on a chair instead of a shower
2. Talk to your loved one in a soothing voice while bathing and talk through each step you take
3. Let your loved one do as much as possible

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As the disease progresses, the person with FTD may lose the ability to understand you or to be understood.

Try this:

1. Observe their behavior for clues to meaning
2. Use simple words and short sentences with a calm and soothing tone of voice
3. Maintain a respectful approach and avoid speaking to the person with FTD like they are a child
4. Minimize distractions like the television and radio when talking so that your loved one can focus on the conversation

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Dressing is something your loved one may be able to do for a relatively long time.

Try this:

1. Find clothes with larger buttons or replacing closures with Velcro
2. Look for pants or skirts with elastic pull-on waists
3. Try shoes that fit well, stay on and don’t require laces (to prevent tripping)

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If personal hygiene and grooming get neglected, look for ways to simplify the process.

Try this:

1. Try a simple haircut that is easy to manage
2. Switch to an electric razor which has less risk of cuts and is easier to hold
3. When helping with grooming tasks, move slowly and explain what you are doing in a calm voice so that you don’t startle them

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Managing your loved one’s sleep problems will ensure that both of you will get more rest.

Try this:

1. Provide at least a little exercise every day – even if it is just a walk around the yard
2. Engage them in a quiet and calming activity before bedtime
3. Keep a consistent schedule of wake and sleep times

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Having friends and family visit can help relieve social isolation and depression, but be aware that visits can cause fatigue or agitation from too much stimulation.

Try this:

1. Pay attention to how your loved one responds to visitors
2. Keep visits short without any expectation of "entertaining" the guest
3. Try having visiting hours scheduled into your daily routine
4. If you have a meal with friends, prepare them for any changes in eating behavior in advance.

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FTD patients may encounter difficulties performing activities that used to be very easy for them in everyday life. These difficulties can be caused by lack of motivation, planning difficulties or language problems.

Remember to:

1. Facilitate their performance
2. Keep patient as active as possible
3. Focus on their abilities
4. Avoid distress between you and the patient
5. Give yourself a break from time to time
6. Since lack of motivation is often a barrier to performing certain tasks, consider offering a reward for desired behaviors

Using the telephone can be difficult for people with language variants of FTD as they may feel pressured, but those with the behavioral variant may abuse the telephone in other ways – online purchases, inappropriate calls, messages not received, etc.

Try this:

1. Help them prepare a script to be used when they make a telephone call to reduce the stress of coming up with the words
2. Contact your telephone service provider to block incoming calls from telemarketers and sales people
3. Lock the keypad on your cellphone to prevent outgoing calls
4. Have people contact you on your cellphone where they can leave a message you will receive

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Driving tends to be one of the most contentious issues in relationships with people with FTD.

Try this:

1. Get a steering wheel lock or other safety device that prevents someone with the ignition keys to take the car
2. If the person with FTD is upset about losing their license, take them to the DMV to get pick up the forms to get reinstated. Drive home and tell them that when the forms are completed, you can go back and file them. Rarely do the forms get completed, but your loved one usually feels better for having gone through the exercise of getting the forms.
3. For the language variants, it might be helpful for the person with FTD to carry a letter from the doctor explaining their language difficulties.

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Patients with the behavioral form of FTD may lose their interest in the management of finances, even if previous they did it for many years.

Try this:

1. Involve your bank manager, a family member or a friend that you can trust
2. Limit access to one card/bank account only
3. Frequently change passwords on computers to prevent over-use or over-spending online
4. Consider disabling computers or removing hard drives to prevent family members from using the computer

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Strategies to control impulsive shopping are closely related to the strategies for controlling finances better.

Try this:

1. Limit the amount of money easily accessible
2. If shoplifting is a problem, it may be helpful to let the store management know in advance so that incidents can be handled discretely
3. Avoid letting the person with bvFTD shop alone
4. If patients have difficulties in understanding the names of things, make a list of pictures or packages to simplify comprehension and motivate them to do a familiar activity.

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Decline in doing house chores can be caused by lack of motivation (please see apathy) or by planning difficulties

Try this:

1. Break down larger tasks into small steps (like setting the table or stirring the soup instead of making dinner)
2. Find simpler tasks that the person can complete safely (such as folding laundry)
3. Reward the person with pleasurable activities or healthy treats after finishing a chore

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It can be a difficult to decide when a patient’s activities might be hazardous to themselves or others.

1. Find a companion for the patient
2. Take the patient to work with you if not too disruptive. Some patients may be able to participate in tasks or be content to “hang out”.
3. Hire a social worker or case manager for help in locating resources
4. Try a day program with an environment and activities that are appealing to the patient. Work with the day program staff to help them understand the needs of your loved one.

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