The diagnosis of Alzheimer's can be devastating due to its incurable and progressive nature. Once the diagnosis is made, this does not mean your loved one must abruptly leave their home. But as symptoms progress, there may be signs your loved one needs an Alzheimer's care facility.
Wandering
One of the biggest concerns with Alzheimer's is that people with the disease may wander away from home. This can present substantial risks of not only becoming lost or meeting up with a dangerous person, but depending on the weather, there may be the risk of temperature-related illness or death. Some of the risks can be minimized by purchasing a tracking device for your loved one, so if they do wander away, it will be easy for you or law enforcement to find them. Understandably, many people are not in the position to keep a watchful eye on their loved one, and it may be in their best interest to live at a facility where they can be monitored constantly.
Combativeness
An unfortunate symptom of the progression of Alzheimer's can be combativeness. Sometimes your loved one may say things that are offensive or out of character for them, or they may become physically violent. Although this is not their fault and is caused by the underlying disease, it does not make their words any less hurtful, and it places other people at substantial risk of physical harm. A facility that specializes in dealing with these behavioral changes is a better option. In some cases, when agitation becomes a regular problem, medications may be necessary to reduce these outbursts. Keeping some distance between you and your loved one when they experience these episodes can make it easier to spend quality time together in the years they have left.
Hazardous Behaviors
Your loved one may display other hazardous behaviors that make it dangerous for them to continue living at home. Some issues may be improperly taking care of their own health such as forgetting important medications or taking too much. They may have a difficult time engaging in personal hygiene tasks regularly or stop doing them altogether. Cooking and eating might also pose dangers such as inadvertently starting house fires, choking on food, or possibly not eating at all. When your loved one has a difficult time maintaining their health and personal care, it becomes imperative to have someone take care of these tasks. An advantage of an Alzheimer's care facility is that many of the needs of your loved one can be taken care of on-site.
In the early stages of Alzheimer's, your loved one may continue to live at home with minimal help. Once the disease progresses and their symptoms become more dangerous or there is a significant decline in their well-being, it is time to consider an assisted living facility.
Share20 September 2019
When your parents, grandparents, or other loved ones need a bit of extra help, you want to ensure that they are getting the best care possible. That means you need to help them pick out the right nursing home or assisted living facility. On top of that, you need to understand other elements of elder care such as living wills, healthcare directives, power of attorneys, and related elements. This blog takes you through all of it. Just as your parents probably referred to a book once in a while to get tips on how to care for you when you were a baby, you may need some tips and guidance to take care of them. This blog is designed to fill that role.