Elderly Parents With Dementia: Signs It Is Time to Get Them Help
As a family caregiver, you want the best for your elderly parents. You want them to be healthy and able to live independently for as long as possible.
Ideally, you want them to continue living in their private home. However, if your parents are experiencing dementia symptoms, it may be time to consider assisted living or memory care.
In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, the majority of people with dementia are currently living in their own homes. However, dementia symptoms in the elderly may make it unsafe for them to do so.
Many families take it upon themselves to care for elderly parents with dementia – without any outside help. If your parent is experiencing memory loss or other symptoms of dementia in the elderly, it can be challenging to know when to step in. It can be tricky if you’ve never experienced a situation like this before. As difficult as it may be, you may need to move them into a senior care facility.
About Dementia
When most people think of dementia, they think of the elderly. However, the fact is that it can affect people of all ages. It is not a normal part of the aging process but rather a condition that affects how the brain works. Dementia is a general term that describes a decline in overall brain function. For example, dementia can come as a result of a wide variety of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.
Safety Concerns
Safety concerns are a telltale sign that you may need to start thinking about advanced care for your loved one. Many seniors have no idea when they need to get more help, so you should be the person who takes charge and helps them out by looking into the options. These include senior home care for medical care in their own home, or placement in senior communities where they can live.
Sure, it may make your aging loved one uncomfortable at first, but if you notice any signs that your loved one is at risk when home alone, like falling or leaving heating appliances on, then it’s only suitable for you to help make your senior mom or dad feel safe and get them help.
Memory Loss
Memory loss is prevalent among older adults. It is a symptom that affects many older people, and some refer to it as “old-timer’s disease.” It’s estimated that 70 percent of people over the age of 65 will experience some form of memory loss. However, memory loss can affect anyone, regardless of age.
If your parents are experiencing memory loss, it’s essential to be aware of it and be able to help them. Signs of memory loss include forgetting important dates, like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.
They might misplace essential items, like car keys or eyeglasses, or make frequent trips to the store to buy the same item. Some other signs include forgetting the names of family members and friends.
If your parents are having difficulty with short-term and long-term memory, it’s essential to keep a journal or appointment calendar for them so they can write down all of their important dates, appointments, and to-do lists. You may also need to consider home care or senior living.
Losing Weight
Weight loss from dementia can occur in the early, middle, and late stages of the disease. The causes are not entirely clear, but it is thought to be the result of a combination of factors. These include the lack of appetite caused by the disease, the inability to swallow, and the side effects of some medications.
Weight loss from dementia doesn’t have to be inevitable, especially if an elderly person is receiving good care. It is important to keep up with normal eating habits and to offer a variety of foods–including foods that are easy to chew and swallow. It is also important to ensure that a person with dementia continues to eat well during times of stress or anxiety.
Why Choose Us
A Better Solution specializes in providing customized assisted living for seniors. By fully evaluating the needs of each individual client, we can find the specific solutions that are best-suited to help them remain independent for as long as possible. You can visit this page to ensure your agency’s financial future.
We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity in their time of need, which is why we offer a variety of different senior care services that allow us to help you or your loved ones in any way possible.
To learn more about how A Better Solution In Home Care helps thousands of people deal with their dementia, call (877)-585-9011 today.