If you or your loved one are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you may feel as though in-patient care is your only option. For seniors who want to preserve their independence and remain at home without jeopardizing their health and safety, home care is an excellent alternative to a residential facility.
For memory care patients and their families, in-home care offers a number of unique benefits that support seniors’ mental and physical wellbeing, contribute to healthy family dynamics, and may even slow the progression of cognitive decline.
Memory care patients have unique needs.
Long-term care facilities are often plagued by staff shortages, particularly in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. For seniors with dementia, who are prone to bouts of distress and confusion, personal attention from a compassionate caregiver is an important predictor of their overall quality of life.
Home care goes beyond help with grooming, dressing, and daily routines — it offers seniors conversation and companionship. A study published in the Journal of Biomedical Science reveals that, for Alzheimer’s patients, loneliness and poor social engagement are associated with more rapid and severe cognitive decline.
Seniors thrive in a familiar environment.
Many seniors report feeling more happy and confident in their own homes. For memory care patients in particular, structure and routines are critical to reducing stress and managing symptoms.
Home care keeps seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia connected to their normal activities of daily living, which can help ward off confusion, distress, and depression.
Keep Alzheimer’s and dementia patients safe at home.
Some of the symptoms of memory-related illnesses pose serious threats to seniors. Episodes of disorientation can cause them to wander and fall, and loved ones may fear that they will forget to turn off stove burners or faucets. They often require medication assistance, and need help taking the correct prescriptions on a prescribed schedule. Memory care patients are also more likely to fall victim to scams or give out personal information.
Though residential facilities eliminate some of these hazards, they also drastically alter seniors’ daily routines, and rarely offer long-term one-on-one support.
Home care allows Alzheimer’s and dementia patients to enjoy their independence and engage in the activities that guard against physical and cognitive decline, all with the supervision and support of a qualified caregiver.
Home care supports the whole family.
Caring for someone with memory issues is rewarding but challenging. The effects of cognitive decline can be deeply saddening to loved ones who remember the patient as they were before their diagnosis.
Caregiver burnout is a tremendous concern, particularly when memory issues are involved. The symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s can be bewildering or even frustrating to friends and family members providing long-term care. Fortunately, home care provides respite for people who are struggling to balance their loved one’s needs with the demands of their own lives.
As memory conditions progress, the level of care seniors require increases. Calling in reinforcements prevents stress and exhaustion in caregivers so that the time spent with their loved one is meaningful and memorable at every stage.
Find home care for seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Home care offers memory care patients an environment that supports wellbeing and healthy cognition without compromising on safety.
If you think in-home care may be right for you or your senior loved one, learn more about services that are designed to support Alzheimer’s and dementia patients’ unique needs.
