Care options for Seniors with Dementia. Caring for an aging loved one with Alzheimer’s symptoms can be very exhausting. About 15.7 million adult family members care for someone who has Alzheimer’s symptoms or other forms of dementia in the United States. Keep reading for care options for seniors and to learn how tools such as Caregiver Monitors can help manage dementia care.
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Caring for a Senior in the home with dementia or Alzheimer’s can be very stressful. The risks are high for caregiver burnout when caring for a loved one with cognitive impairments. There are a few tools we recommend to relieve some of the stress and make managing dementia at home easier.
- Caregiver monitors– These are very helpful to ensure that you can monitor what is going on with your loved one from another area
- Florescent Lamps that emit is bluish white has been proven to mimic daylight and help with circadian rhythm, making the bedtime transition easier
- Orientation Clocks– Helps with keeping your loved one oriented and can relieve repetitive questioning
- Twiddle Quilt– a sensory therapy tool used to reduce stress and increase brain function in elderly patients living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Companion Care Cards– If you’re experiencing an unexpected or awkward situation, hand one of these discreet cards to the person near you to help them understand the situation you are managing with your loved one with dementia.
Care Options for Seniors with Dementia
When it comes to caring for your loved one it can become very exhausting, both mentally and physically and you may need added support to help keep them in the home. Additionally, you may have a full time job and are not able to be home with them during the day.
Some options to consider are the following:
- Companion Care
- Home Health Services
- Resident Care Facililities (Assisted Living or Memory Care)
Some insurances either help with costs or completely cover these services, though some are self pay.
Another option is Adult daycare which can be a great resource for many reasons.
- Provides a safe environment for your loved one while you are away at work
- Gives them socialization to help keep then engaged and stimulated
- They are surrounded by staff trained to cope with individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia
- Many of these are subsidizes by county programs and are available on sliding scale
Each Alzheimer’s patient progresses differently however the average life expectancy after diagnosis (also ambiguous because it is often not diagnosed until moderate stages) is eight to 10 years but it can of course be shorter. The best thing anyone can do to help their loved one with dementia to maintain the highest quality of life during the course of their disease is to keep them engaged, provide reassurance and loving care.