Share This Story!
Is It Time For Help?
By 2050, approximately 60 million Americans may be diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Dementia is a degenerative disease that decreases brain functions like memory, problem-solving, and even motor skills. At the beginning of the illness, relatives and loved ones can help with at-home care. As time progresses, patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s need advanced, long-term care. Family members feel conflicted with this transition, but there are different types of care for all levels. The right decision can give loved ones a better quality of life.
Factors to consider
Every case of dementia or Alzheimer’s is different. Before choosing the proper care, loved ones must consider factors like level of care, accessibility, and cost. Is specialized medical care and machinery required? Would long-term care require other services like physical therapy? Would meals, grooming, bathing, and other day-to-day functions be necessary? Finally, consider the overall patient comfort and accessibility of facilities for the family. Many types of services or facilities cover these concerns and more.
Group homes and care centers
If the patient is in the initial stages of the disease, a group home can be a viable option. The loved one may not be comfortable staying alone and can still manage everyday functions. Group homes are living facilities tailored to seniors looking for community. These seniors must still function independently as these facilities provide little to no professional care. There are also care centers that specialize in supporting dementia patients. These can be used as needed, perhaps a few days a week, until the patient needs advanced care.
Skilled nursing and retirement communities
Skilled nursing homes are facilities with medical professionals who provide round-the-clock care for aging patients. Nursing homes are often live-in situations and are best for advanced stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Like nursing homes, retirement communities provide apartments, rooms, or condos in a safe space for the patient to live. Retirement communities allow for progressive care, increasing based on the patient’s need with time. The patient still feels a level of autonomy but has support as needed.
Companion services
What if the family still wants the loved one at home? Companion services allow a trained professional to provide medication management, grooming, shopping, and other simple tasks. The duties are shared between the additional caregiver and family. This way, the patient has the almost round-the-clock supervision needed, especially in the later phases of the disease.
Using memory care
Some loved ones opt for a more specific approach. For instance, memory care is specialized for patients that require more maintenance than a facility usually offers. Memory care is another type of specialized assisted living. The significant difference is that these facilities include staff specially trained for persons with dementia. In addition, the facility offers increased engagement, visual cues, and safety measures geared towards dealing with advanced dementia. This solution provides a more comfortable experience for the patient, specific to dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Selecting the best care
Choosing long-term care for a loved one can be a complex process. Make sure to consider several options while taking advice from the loved one’s doctors. Visit each facility to check the level of comfort and services. Then, make the right decision with all parties involved. Long-term care is routine for the latter stages of the disease, and family members should take action as quickly as possible. Once everything is in place, the family must become part of a safe routine that will improve the quality of life for the patient.
