When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, finding the right type of senior care for them can become a little more challenging. Not only will they need help with the basic activities of daily living, there will be unique challenges present because of the presence of dementia. This can exacerbate the challenges that might be present with the typical activities of daily living, but dementia will also eventually present new and unique challenges. Either way, help must be administered with the topic of dementia at the forefront of the professional’s mind so that everything that’s done is done in the manner that can best help your loved one.
With that said, transitioning from one type of care to another that focuses primarily on memory care is another unique type of challenge. General senior care can meet a lot of needs, but that doesn’t mean that it can do everything. Independent living, assisted living, and even some nursing homes often find themselves unable to meet the demands that Alzheimer’s can present.
When someone begins to suffer from dementia, there will be warning signs. If your loved one is struggling with the care that they are already receiving, transferring from one type of care to another might become necessary. Or, if they’re no longer able to get through their day safely on their own, memory care might be a good choice. Family members and other professionals can help with observations. By working together as a team, you can better identify when the move to memory care is right.
Memory care is typically more structured and better equipped to meet the needs of someone with dementia. Typically, memory care will cost more than general assisted living because of the specialized training that those with this training go through to help others.
Hopefully, this is a situation that you never find yourself in. It is very difficult to have someone you care about go through something like Alzheimer’s disease. But the reality is that thousands of people face this decision here in the United States each year. It’s not something that you want to face, but if you do find yourself needing to address this issue, having a plan in place to ensure that the people that you care about have the best care possible is important.
We can help you get started. In-home care offers a unique opportunity for your family to not need to make major lifestyle changes, all while still receiving the help that’s needed for your older loved one to thrive where they are. In-home care can even facilitate memory care, if the right service is utilized.
Ultimately, this is a decision that will need to be made on an individual basis. Your needs won’t necessarily be met in the same way that another family, with different circumstances, might utilize. It’s important to think through your unique situation and see what will work best for you.
If you’re looking for help thinking this through or just have questions about care in general, please reach out to a professional. We’d love to be that professional service for you if you’re not sure where to start. Always feel free to give us a call or send an email to get the conversation started.
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