How Your Loved One’s In-Home Care Needs Can Change if They’ve Been Diagnosed with Dementia
At Visiting Angels Denver, we’ve provided quality dementia care for seniors throughout Wheat Ridge, Denver, Golden and surrounding areas in Colorado. If your loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia, here’s how their in-home care needs can change
Although the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are often used interchangeably, they are actually not the same. Dementia is a wider, umbrella term for a whole range of cognitive disorders whereas Alzheimer’s disease is a specific form of dementia that accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all cases of the condition.
While a gradual loss of memory is most commonly associated with Alzheimer’s or dementia, there are other severely debilitating symptoms as well. Language, reasoning, and problem-solving skills get affected too. Combined, these symptoms contribute to cognitive decline and make everyday routines fairly difficult.
Diagnosis and Care Decisions
As there are many different types of dementia, it is very important to get an accurate diagnosis of your loved one’s condition. This can be of great help when making vital in-home care decisions as the disease progresses.
For example, an individual with Parkinson’s will not only have memory issues, but they will also struggle with gait and balance or have vision problems such as a lack of spatial awareness and depth perception. This means that this person is at a greater risk of fall-related injuries and would require additional mobility assistance and fall prevention services besides memory care.
Different Types of Dementia, Different Types of Care
Nowadays, there are numerous care options for those afflicted with any type of dementia as the number of aging adults diagnosed with the cognitive condition is on the rise. Families can choose to move their parent or relative to:
- Senior living facilities that have separate wings solely reserved for those who require Alzheimer’s and dementia care
- Stand-alone memory care communities
- Adult day facilities that specialize in providing short-term care for those with dementia
- Nursing homes
- Hospice care for those with late-stage dementia
On the other hand, many family caregivers wish to keep their senior loved ones in the familiar, comfortable surroundings of their home. To do so, working with a reliable local in-home care provider is the best way to move forward.
What Type of Alzheimer’s or Dementia Care is Best?
Whether your family member is in the later stages of cognitive decline or you are currently still seeking a diagnosis, thoroughly informing yourself about all care options can help you make sound caregiving decisions.
As Mom or Dad’s symptoms slowly progress, the assistance of a professional in-home care provider can be instrumental in helping your parent remain safe and comfortable at home in their preferred routine. That is why it is so important to learn more about how high-quality dementia or Alzheimer’s care should look like.
All superior care providers, including in-home care services, long-term care facilities and adult day centers, offer a client-centered approach to care, strive to help seniors maintain independence, and make sure that the family caregiver is involved too.
When searching for the right caregiving agency, make sure to inquire about training and skills of recommended caregivers and what experience they have in working with seniors with dementia or with your parent’s specific diagnosis.
Regardless of the type of care you choose, your involvement is paramount to ensuring Mom or Dad’s independence and quality of life for as long as possible.
If you’d like to learn more about dementia care services from Visiting Angels Denver, contact our Wheat Ridge, CO office today.
Visiting Angels provides quality in-home care throughout Arvada, Aurora, Denver, Glendale, Golden, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and the surrounding areas of Colorado.