Care Services To Consider For Your Loved One With Dementia
When you have a loved one that has recently been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, it can be a difficult time for all involved. Many people do not know how to react to such news or handle the situation. And for the person receiving the diagnosis, it can feel as if they are slowly and steadily being robbed of who they are and what makes them an autonomous individual in the world. No matter what stage of progression the diagnosis comes in, there are care options available to help a person with dementia with their daily life and well-being. Get to know more about a few of these care options so you can be sure that you are doing everything you can for your loved one who is struggling with a dementia diagnosis.
Home Care Services
One of the most popular of the care services available to your loved one with dementia is home care services. As your loved one's dementia progresses, they may find themselves confused and feeling lost more and more often, even in their own home. Having a person there just for companionship and as a backup can be very helpful in such early stages of dementia to help give you peace of mind that your loved one is safe in their own home. It can also help to redirect and reorient your loved one until they become lucid again.
Another factor to consider when you are trying to decide if your loved one is safe in their own home is the fact that most people with dementia have worst problems at night than during the day. Insomnia and night wandering are quite common among people with dementia as is increased disorientation at night. Having full-time home caregiver services can help to alleviate worries about these nighttime issues. You can hire caregivers that rotate day and night shifts so that there is always someone awake to help care for your loved one and keep them safe.
Memory Care Homes
As dementia progresses, the behaviors that your loved one might exhibit can become more and more serious. They may become erratic and aggressive, be more easily agitated, and experience fewer and fewer moments of lucidity. Their bodily functions and physical abilities will also eventually be affected by the disease as well.
When this happens, remaining at home may not be a viable option. However, there are memory care homes that are specifically designed to provide care to those individuals suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. These homes have 24-hour awake staff, secure and locked entry, activities for residents and more to help them with their daily living tasks.
The quality of life residents have in a memory care unit, particularly for later stages of dementia, is far superior than they could get elsewhere and all staff members are fully-trained and knowledgeable about dementia and working with dementia behaviors.
Now that you know more about a few of the care services available to your loved one with dementia, you can be sure that you are doing everything you can to help them get the care they need following this difficult diagnosis.