In the earliest stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease your senior loved one may not need much support or care. They may be able to carry out their lives as they did before their diagnosis.
Because dementia and Alzheimer’s are neurodegenerative diseases, your loved one will eventually need more assistance. As their cognitive functioning declines, they will likely need to transition from their home to an assisted living or memory care community.
Knowing when in-home dementia care is enough and when in-home care is no longer enough is essential. Your senior loved one’s quality of life will depend on the medical care, services, and support they receive.
You can learn more about your loved one’s condition, find caregiver resources for self-care and wellness on our online hub, Kensington Konnect, and RSVP for our free, informative events, such as dementia caregiver support groups, on our website.
Types of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care
While most seniors would love to age in the comfort of their homes, that is not always the safest or best option.
As a caregiver, you may notice that your spouse or loved one needs are more than you can take on alone.
Caregiver stress and burnout are likely to occur if you stop taking care of yourself, and consistently put your needs last. Accepting assistance will not only help your senior loved one live a better life, but it will help you live a healthier and less stressful life as well.
In-home care for those with dementia
Senior’s appreciate in-home care because it allows them to remain in their homes, where everything is familiar.
Home care aides can help your senior loved one with daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, cooking, and cleaning. This can give you a break when you need to work or take some time for yourself.
In-home care is typically customized to meet the needs of the senior and family members.
Some seniors may only need a companion or help running errands, while others may require 24-hour supervision.
Memory care for individuals with dementia
For seniors in the middle to later stages of dementia, assisted living communities are the safest option.
A senior will have a better quality of life with on-site nurses, high acuity care, medical equipment and devices, and a secure living space.
Your loved one can truly age in place when they have the correct type of help, which is difficult to provide at home.
Signs that in-home care isn’t working
While your senior loved one’s memory disease won’t be very noticeable in the early stage, as time goes on their dementia symptoms will worsen. You’ll likely see a cognitive decline in your loved one.
Your loved one will need more help than you or home health care services can offer if they become more susceptible to difficult situations and behaviors:
- Falls
- Injuries and hurting themselves
- Unable to communicate
- Difficulty swallowing
- Signs of depression and social isolation
- Extreme memory loss
- Unpredictable and dangerous behavior
- Underlying conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
The time to consider transitioning to a memory care community will differ per senior. Though memory diseases are incurable and will continue to progress, each person goes through the stages at a different speed.
Some families choose to move their seniors to assisted living facilities during the last stage of the disease.
Other families prefer to transition their senior loved one sooner, so their loved ones have more opportunities to enjoy recreational activities and maintain their independence longer.
Benefits of a memory care community
A memory care community can provide all of the essential care dementia, and Alzheimer’s residents need. This setting alleviates the stress of a caregiver having to provide 24/7 care, and leads to more quality time.
Seniors will receive around-the-clock care, daily assistance with personal care while maintaining their independence, and opportunities to socialize in a safe environment.
Most memory care communities offer life-enrichment activities, and a range of onsite therapies, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, all led by highly trained professionals.
With personalized meal services, catered to your senior loved one’s taste and health needs, your loved one can maintain their health and wellness. Our dining team keeps a detailed weight record and adjusts nutrition based on a physician’s instructions.
Our team of skilled medical professionals will provide assistance with medication, and medical injections.
Being a primary caregiver is a rewarding job, but when you no longer need to be your senior loved one’s main source of care, you can have peace of mind, and keep a better relationship with your loved one.
Kensington Place Redwood City is dedicated to memory care
We understand that transitioning an elderly loved one to an assisted living or memory care community can be challenging. It can be an emotional time for your loved one and your family.
At Kensington Place Redwood City, Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.
Our senior residents are given many opportunities to thrive, maintain their health, and live peacefully and comfortably.
With a calendar full of everyday activities your senior loved one will have many chances to socialize and have fun. From horticultural therapy, pet therapy, live music and dancing, and baking club. Residents can decide what they want to do based on their own interests. We even offer individual activities in our Pocket Programming.
To support our residents’ health, our communities provide high acuity care, on-site rehabilitation services, healthy and delicious meal preparation and dining services, and a team of professional health care providers.
Contact us to learn more about our beautiful home, and safe, cozy spaces.
As your loved one’s dementia progresses, they still deserve the joys of daily life while also getting the care services they need. Kensington Place Redwood City will help with just that, providing long term care in a place that looks and feels like home.