A recent study found that the number of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms in nursing homes is roughly the same as the number of those outside of a formalized care facility setting. Additionally, the severity of those symptoms tends to be about the same, too.
The most prevalent symptoms that were noticed during this survey included ongoing pain, anxiety, agitation, and a resistance to receiving help. This was in addition to the hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s itself, a loss of memory and cognitive decline.
There are a couple potential reasons why this is happening. First, it might be that people outside of nursing homes and other formalized care institutions are not getting the care and attention that they require to stay healthy. If the frequency and severity of dementia symptoms is happening with the same frequency outside of nursing homes as it is within, this is a potential possibility.
The other reason is that people outside of nursing homes with Alzheimer’s and other dementia symptoms don’t actually require the intensity of care that a nursing home provides. Just because someone is in a nursing home does not necessarily mean that they need to be there.
In all reality, it’s probably a mixture of these two forces at play. There are probably some people not receiving help that need it, and there are probably some people in nursing homes that don’t need to be there. This is one of the big positive aspects of in-home care. This way, the person in need is still getting all of the help that they need, but there’s no sacrifice when it comes to freedom and comfort. The person suffering from dementia is able to live their life the way that they want to from the place they have called home for so long, but still be in a good, safe place that can address their evolving needs.
The research team published their findings in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. While there are a number of things that can be taken away from their research, one of the most important is that we need to rethink how we approach caring for those with dementia. In-home care can be a good way to start.
In-home care has some distinct benefits when it comes to helping those with dementia. For example, research has found time and time over that people with Alzheimer’s keep a grasp on their memories for longer periods of time when they are in a familiar place. If care is needed, it can be brought into the home. Research indicates that when this is done correctly, it actually is better for the mental and physical health of the individual with dementia.
The researchers concluded by stating that they hope that this study can be used to see how palliative care might be able to ease some of the burden that is currently on our nursing home systems. If those with dementia can live a better life without adding to this burden–and not stil get all the help that they need–then this is a far better option all around. Exploring how to make this a reality for the people we love and society as a whole has the potential to do a lot of good.
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