Dementia

Dementia is one of the most difficult things for families to deal with.  It robs you of your loved one without so much as a warning or apology.  It can come quickly or sneak around slowly over the years, almost undetectable.  Either way, it can cause issues for the family unit.  There is no cure and even worse, everyone seems to have a different picture of what dementia looks like for them.

One of the most difficult situations we deal with is when it is time to make decisions on moving from their home or continuing to be independent.  Looking at these areas can help you to decide if your concerns are valid.  Keep in mind, anyone of these things could be completely normal.  The key is when the behavior changes to be opposite of what you would typically expect from them.

There are 8 basic areas of concern to look at.  Depending on how many of these areas are concerns for your loved one, help to make these tough decisions.  It is also important to enlist the help of the primary care physician and/or outside view.  As the loved one, we will often overlook things or explain the behavior away.

Medication management:  Your loved one misses a medication or two a week.  Depending on the medications, they take perhaps this is not a big deal.  But some medications are time specific and extremely important to their overall health.  When loved ones fall into this latter category, taking their medications becomes a big issue.  Also, one needs to be aware of whether on not they are taking the medication as prescribed.  If you are finding medications on the floor, table or anywhere other than the bottles they are stored in.

Meal Preparation:  You are finding burned food in the trash or remains on it on the stove or oven.  You look in the refrigerator and it is full of food, but it is out of date or moldy.  Fast food containers, snacks by the favorite chair or dirty dishes stacked in the sink can all be signed that something is amiss, especially if this is not typical behavior for them.  All weight loss or weight gain can indicate that there are problems with meals.

Safety and Mobility:  Your loved one is struggling to get up the steps, into the house, or move around the house.  Also, think about what would happen in an emergency.  Would they know how to get help?  There are a lot of mobility devises out there to assist with these issues.  These can provide quick fixes to big problems.

Personal Hygiene:  Paying attention to how your loved one is dressed is important.  Keeping up with what they wear from day to day, if it is clean and then personal care including showering and grooming.  Changes in these patterns can be an indication of something bigger.

Transportation:  Noticing when they change the times they drive or the places they feel comfortable driving.  Also, when they complain about having issues reading or seeing things they typically did not have trouble with, be aware this affects driving as well.   Again, this is something that can be discussed with the doctor.  There are also testing places thru rehab centers to help determine safety for them and other.

Socialization:  Noticing someone who typically wanted to get out of the home daily, no longer wants to leave.  They make excuses as to why this has changed for them.  Most times it is easier to change the behavior than admit the deficit they are feeling.  Change is hard.  Therefor giving up things they once enjoyed becomes a key indicator something is amiss.

Home Management:  When they live on a property where they take care of the lawn, flower beds, garden, or even just indoor keep up, noticing changes in how they care for the property is key.  When you notice that your once tidy loved one, no longer cares if the newspaper is all over the floor, it is time to start asking questions.

Financial Management:   Your loved one always was on top of the bills.  Now you notice late bills arriving or you see that they have a credit with a company because they have duplicated a payment.  Seniors are targets for scams as well.  Keeping an eye on what finances for this reason is also important.

Assured Assistance is a non-medical homecare company based in Shillington, PA. serving Reading, Wyomissing, Sinking Spring, West Lawn, and surrounding areas. We provide in home senior care, for seniors who want to remain in their homes but need some assistance to complete everyday tasks. Assured Assistance also provides respite care, home care, and compassionate skilled senior care. With home care, we can provide services which include but is not limited to…Companionship, Errand Services, Housekeeping, Laundry Services, Transportation, Organization Needs, Meal Preparation, Shopping/Groceries, Family Respite Care, Grooming/Hygiene Assistance AND More. We provide service when you want and how you want, anything from 3 hours to 24/7. If you are a caregiver who needs respite, a family member looking to assist your parents in their journey to remain independent or simply looking for help for yourself, call Assured Assistance at 610-796-4737. We can provide the home care you are looking for! Visit us on Facebook for more information about who we are.