Taking care of a loved one who has been diagnosed with dementia or its type – Alzheimer’s disease can be both rewarding yet at the same time overwhelming. In early stages many people with dementia can stay at home and from time to time go about their business on their own. However, as the disease progresses the level of independence decreases and patients require more professional help. In such cases Alzheimer home care services provide comprehensive home care plans for those who turn for help. While the condition progresses it will be not only hard to continue the life as it was but also it will be hard, confusing and disorienting to adjust to a new environment. Therefore, in-home care will be the best option in such conditions.
Tips for in-home care for dementia patients
With the right tools and correct actions caregivers can both help their loved ones themselves or assist professional medical caregivers. As a rule senior dementia patients face a long path of cognitive decline and family members who do not hold any medical degree will be unable to provide security to their relatives on their own. However, caregivers often do help by providing memory aid and different opportunities for creating semi-independent life.
Most importantly, proper care depends on the dedication and expertise of the medical staff and care planning. Alzheimer’s is commonly known as a memory disorder and its symptoms extend to numerous areas of life. The basic symptoms include forgetfulness, confusion, and emotional swings. In later stages more symptoms are added to the previous ones such as inability to continue daily activities on their own.
Professional caregiver assistance, from services like Galaxy Home Care, ranges from simple to more complicated tasks:
- Monitoring and companionship
- Wandering prevention
- Managing moments of confusion, anxiety, trepidation
- Guidance to appointments
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping
- Meal planning and preparation
- Grocery shopping and prescription pickups
- Aid with dressing and grooming
- Assistance with bathing and toileting
- Mobility and transfer assistance
Apart from the support mentioned above professional medical staff can provide other additional more medical help to the patients according to their needs and state:
- Memory aid is the one which provides organization and management of the symptoms of memory loss. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) there are several recommendations in this regard:
- The use of calendar or a to-do list or even a journal as a memory practice tool;
- The use of alarm on everyday basis for a simulation of a well-planned routine;
- The use of automatic reminders for medications and meals;
- The establishment of meaningful daily activity.
Accomplishments such as a part of a learning process which provides achievements can successfully reduce agitation, lesson memory loss and slow down the process of cognitive decline, as reported by APA. By doing these activities with the help of professional caregivers, patients with mild and moderate Alzheimer’s can stabilize their state. It is required to facilitate life by ensuring a level of autonomy:
- Simplification of tasks and routine;
- Visual and verbal cues, for example such as labels around the household;
- Work fragmentation and task management, which is in simple words “breaking big tasks into smaller steps”;
- Making routine full of easy and productive activities instead of cumbersome ones.
Signs in-home care for dementia patients is not working
Sadly to state yet still there is no cure for dementia, so it is only natural for some older adults to age at home for years or even decades with moderate symptoms of dementia by relying on caregivers or family for support. However, professional medical support is not the heal-all for all the patients. All patients and their family members ought to keep in mind that dementia is unpredictable and the type of care may change suddenly.
Additionally, poor in-home caregiver health service is the most common reason for the patients with dementia to move to memory care and reject their partial independence. Reaching the point when dementia progresses and safety precautions of the patient cannot be met or caregiver’s emotional and physical health is at risk, then unquestionably a full memory care may be needed.
Contact Galaxy Home Care service if taking care of a patient with dementia has become overwhelming and staggering, or simply your loved ones are not receiving necessary help and assistance.
Keeping in mind information when choosing an in-home care agency
Many can have doubts regarding choosing the appropriate health care agency so that it aligns with the needs of patients. Further you can find out steps how to choose a perfect agency yourself:
Research and recommendations
It is advised to start with Research and Recommendations if you are completely new and unaware how the system works. Commence with personal analysis of in-home care services online. Every so often, it may look like a one-sided research based on guesses. Try turning for recommendations to doctor(s) or friends or even family for guidance since it may broaden further research.
Check the budget
In general, healthcare is relatively affordable and average citizens have access to an average number of in-home care companies in the USA, which vary through states. Contacting Human Resources Administration for further details about in-home care companies will give you full information. For example, in-home care services, such as Galaxy Home Care, are reasonable in fees and provide good quality of medical care due to prestigious facilities in the area. Even though, there may be situations when even the most affordable care does not coincide with stated budget. On such occasions, you can request a homecare service to personalize the care for an individual budget.
Align your needs with in-home care
After finishing all necessary assessments of received recommendations you can start getting in touch with healthcare agencies. Most importantly, make a list of all in-home care agencies that are present in your city or town. Then try to find information or prepare essential questions to address all potential agencies. Secondly, if you are searching for a place to look after patients with dementia, check if the in-home agency is ready to face serious challenges and can provide experienced and skilled medical workers who can maintain a positive relationship and comforting environment.
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