Caregiving is a task that requires dedication and determination. Different patients come in with different situations, and our job as Senioridy is to ensure that all their needs and wants are met. Alzheimer’s and Dementia home care is part of our specialty. But before we can get into details, let’s define the condition and how to detect it.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Alzheimer’s & Dementia is a progressive disease that destroys your memory and additional essential mental functions. The condition causes the degeneration and death of brain cells and their connections. It results in confusion and memory loss. There is no cure for this disease, although a patient can be stabilized by management strategies and medications to improve the symptoms.

This is a chronic disease that can last for years. A medical diagnosis is necessary to detect the illness. Other than memory loss and confusion, a different group of symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s & Dementia includes;

• Cognitive – Difficulty in understanding and thinking, delusions, forgetfulness, mental decline, and disorientation

• Mood – Apathy, loneliness, anger, general discontent, and mood swings

• Behavioral – Agitation, irritability, aggression, personality changes, and restlessness

• Psychological – Hallucination, depression, and paranoia

• Others – Difficulty with skilled movement, loss of appetite, and paraphasia.

Caregiving for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Patients

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s & Dementia might turn out to be a long, stressful, depressing, and intensely emotional journey. If you consider the denoted symptoms above, there’s a lot involved in making sure that the person is safe and sound. Considering that there’s no cure to the disease, support and caregiving are what make the most significant difference to the life’s quality of your loved one.

Steps to Caregiving

There are specific steps to follow if you want to perform your caregiving roles excellently. The proper way to go about the transition should involve;

Early Stages

1. Accept and come to terms with the diagnosis. This is the only way to move on and start the caregiving process.

2. Deal with all the arising conflicting emotions. You and your loved one will experience the different roller coaster of emotions that you should contain for the best.

3. Utilize the available resources. Use any help at your disposal (research materials, community support, training, helplines, practical support, and advice for caregivers).

4. Study all you can about your loved one’s condition. It makes it easy to understand them and know the best response.

5. Prepare for the journey ahead. Ensure all your legal, healthcare, and financial needs are in check to facilitate a smooth process.

Preserving the Independence of Your Loved One

1. Take measures to slow down the progression of symptoms. Combine the medications given and also consider implementing some lifestyle changes that suit best for your loved one.

2. Assist with memory loss issues. Take the initiative to remember the doctor’s appointments, track the medications, recall the names and words, and manage the bills on time.

Middle Stages

1. Make time to reflect on the journey

2. Develop helpful daily routines

3. Cope with the changes in communication

4. Learn all the dos and don’ts

5. Cope with changes in personality and behavior.

Last Stages

1. Don’t give up despite the severity of the symptoms

2. Don’t neglect your loved ones nor your responsibilities.

Challenges

You stand to go through some challenging moments despite the good days’ caregiving. Challenges are both learning points of discovering what your loved one prefers and changing attributes in your routine. Some of the challenges that you might face include;

• Grief experiences as you watch your loved one go through the related symptoms

• The patient might change their behavior to upsetting and disturbing ways

• Frustration, sadness, and confusion along the process

• Caregiving might drain your emotional, social, and financial state

• You might get overwhelmed by the fatigue, isolation, and stress involved

• Caregiving might seem to be a thankless task since the appreciation of the patient will diminish over time.

Rewards

In the entire process of Dementia home care, you will get some rewards along the way. Even though you cannot get direct appreciation from the loved one you’re giving care to, there are some rewards to enjoy. They are more personal rather than the typical public acknowledgment. Some of the rewarding aspects of the process include;

• It’s a pure and honest expression of love

• Caregiving provides a purpose

• It is a starting point to teach younger family members the value of love and care to other people.

• The process changes your perspective on life

• Caregiving introduces a sense of accomplishment.

Caregiving Tips

Some of the things that will save you from depression or mental and emotional exhaustion from caregiving involve engaging in practices such as;

1. Ask for help.

2. Join a support group.

3. Talk to someone

4. Stay active

5. Practice relaxation techniques.

Call of Action

You should consider getting assistance from experts who will help take care of your loved one. They’ll not only take the burden off your shoulders but professionally approach the situation. Senioridy will give you an alternative that will suit you best for your Dementia home care needs. Whether you prefer in-home help, adult daycare, respite care, we’ve got it all just for you.

Reach out to senioridy.com today and enjoy top-notch Dementia home care services.