How Applying Makeup Can Be Beneficial for Those with Dementia

Supporting a person with dementia involves keeping them active and feeling involved, and is key to maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. Whether it’s folding clothes or singing, we know that keeping people living with the condition active is key to managing dementia. For that reason, Barchester offer a number of activities to ensure our residents are constantly busy and are engaging their brains.  

Recently, the psychological effects of makeup have received a lot of attention in studies. A recent study from Japan, involving 400 care facilities across the nation, has shown significant results in early stage dementia patients. Regular makeup lessons where patients were taught and encouraged to apply foundation, blush and lipstick to their faces were set up.  Over three months, the participants in the study, made up of care-home residents in their 80s and 90s, found that the bi-monthly sessions were slowing their cognitive decline.  This was compared with a second group of patients who did not take part in the study.  The surprising results found some of the patients were able to sit up straight and eat without assistance.  Others found that they had developed enough muscle strength to support their own bodies and walk to the toilet unassisted.

It comes as no surprise then that a spokesperson from the Japanese study stated that the benefits are likely derived from building self-confidence in the patients.  Working on their physical appearance not only distracted them from the troubles they are facing, but also gave the opportunity for many of the patients to give a little thought to their appearance.  Long stints in hospitals can often have important aspects of patients’ personalities fall into remiss; conversely, having the opportunity to take care of yourself with a little pampering session can apparently do a world of good.

The successes of Cosmetic Therapy are now being applied to younger people suffering from stress, depression or fatigue.  Some psychiatry clinics have even welcomed the therapy for their patients, illustrating that it has a wide variety of benefits beyond those proposed for dementia or Alzheimer’s patients.

This is an easy activity to take part in with your friend with dementia at home, and can even be used in preparation for other activities for example, taking your dementia patient out to dinner.  This way you can boost their confidence, pass the time, and then take them out for a treat.

If you’re interested in more long-term care opportunities, or other methods of managing your friend with dementia’s condition, please feel free to contact us.  You can also take a look at our care homes near you.  Here at Barchester we do our best to keep up with trends and research into effective care, to give the best advice on managing a friend or relative’s condition.