Dementia causes symptoms such as memory loss and confusion that increase over time. By the time your aging loved one reaches the last stages of dementia, you can also expect him or her to need more help carrying out daily activities. Naturally, this means you’ll also need to know where to turn when you cannot manage all your loved one’s needs. As you continue to adjust to your loved one’s care plan, you can use this guide to find help when you need it at each stage of your parent’s dementia.
Build a Support Network
Every family caregiver needs a strong support network filled with different people who can help. Start by connecting with people who can provide you with support. For instance, you may want to join a support group. The people you meet there can give you tips on how to provide dementia care to your loved one at home. Your support network may also be filled with family members, neighbors, and friends you can rely on to provide help in a pinch.
Caring for a loved one with dementia is a challenging task for anyone. The responsibilities can sometimes feel overwhelming, but help is available. Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted Green Valley homecare services provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide.
Be Open About Your Challenges
The first step toward finding help is to acknowledge you need it. Many caregivers feel the need to hide how they feel about their duties, and this often keeps them from reaching out. Make sure to recognize it’s normal to need help. No one can provide dementia care alone, especially once the condition reaches the final stages. Picking out several people in your support network you can talk to about the challenges you face can help you begin the process of deciding which types of help you need the most. For instance, you may dread having to help with incontinence care or worry constantly about your loved one wandering off. Once you’re open about these challenges, you can seek help from home caregivers who are comfortable with handling these types of situations.
Explore Local and Federal Resources
You may have more resources for getting help at your disposal than you realize. Some communities offer assistance with senior care tasks such as cooking meals and grocery shopping. Try checking with your local senior center to find out what might be available in your area. Your loved one may also have insurance or qualify for programs that help with paying for in-home care services. Finding out what types of financial assistance you have available to cover the cost of professional dementia care at your loved one’s home can help you connect with a caregiver.
Having a professional caregiver nearby can give you peace of mind about your loved one’s safety and comfort. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same in-home care. Families can rely on Embrace In-Home Care to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.
Check into Professional Home Care Services
It’s always nice when you can rely on family and friends to help out. However, this may become more difficult as your loved one’s care needs increase. Professional home care agencies carefully screen and train caregivers so they’re ready to help your loved one manage the challenges of dementia. Since home care can range from simple services such as helping with housekeeping to more extensive overnight types of care, you can always find someone who can help you out with any new situation you face as a caregiver.
Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Green Valley seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Embrace In-Home Care. To create a customized dementia home care plan for your loved one, call Embrace In-Home Care at (520) 625-2050 today.