As the older population continues to expand, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia is also growing. Close to 16 million Americans give emotional support to a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, yet doing so becomes more demanding and sometimes hazardous as the illness worsens.
Of course, you want to help your senior mom or dad age in place even during the early stages of dementia. However, as your parents age and their disease progress, you may not be able to keep up with the disease or leave your parents alone while you’re at work or somewhere else. This is when elder care can come in handy.
Elder care can help your seniors stay on a routine every day with or without you. Elder care can help during the early stages of dementia, but it may not be enough when the disease progresses. While family members and close friends may typically handle caring for their loved ones during the early stages of the disease, it can be safer for the senior to migrate to a residential care facility as it inevitably advances. So, after learning about dementia you may have heard about something called memory care. What is it? Who can do it? What do you need to know? Here is every answer to your question.
What Is Memory Care?
People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia often have difficulties recalling information from the past. They may even have problems understanding what year it is or recognizing close family members’ faces. There is no cure for these diseases, but there are treatments that have been shown to lessen symptoms and enhance overall well-being in patients. Memory care tries to employ these treatments, enabling seniors and their families to cope with the distressing symptoms of memory loss problems and enjoy more lucid days together.
Can Elder Care Provide Memory Care?
During the early stages of Dementia, caregivers may be able to help care for a senior. However, as the disease progresses, they will need customized and tailored help. You may be shocked to hear that your senior parent has Dementia, and you may be surprised when they need to move into a home for round-the-clock help.
How To Help a Senior Cope With The Diagnosis
Accepting a dementia diagnosis may be tough for family members just as much as it is for the patient. Allow time for you and your loved one to comprehend the news, adjust to the new circumstances, and mourn your losses. But don’t allow denial to keep you from obtaining early help.
Anger, aggravation, denial, sadness, resistance, and fear are frequent in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or Dementia, and they affect both the patient and you, the caregiver. Allow your loved ones to vent their emotions and urge them to continue engaging in things that give their lives value and purpose.
Learning about Dementia can be scary, but it is also important for you to understand what is going to happen to your seniors. As the disease progresses, you can keep up and keep helping your senior.