Treating Dementia With Long Term Care in Springfield Missouri

Dementia can vary depending on the type of disease causing it. Those who have elderly loved ones will want to understand the warning signs and symptoms to help their loved one get help early on. If it is determined the loved one has dementia, caregivers from Visiting Angels can help them learn to live with the diagnosis. While the caregivers from Visiting Angels are not home health care aides, they are trained in how to help those with dementia when providing long term care in Springfield Missouri. 

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a name for the group of diseases that can cause loss of memory, judgment, complex motor skills, judgment, and other types of intellectual function. Alzheimer’s is one type of dementia and is the most common for those over 65 years old. Dementia can also include vascular dementia, which is caused by a stroke; alcohol dementia, which is caused by prolonged use of alcohol; and trauma dementia, which is caused by a head injury. 

The progression of dementia can range from sudden to slowly, depending on the type of disease causing dementia and other factors like where the damage is located in the brain. When someone has dementia, home health agencies in Springfield Missouri and caregivers from Visiting Angels can help the person stay in their own home as long as possible. 

What are the Warning Signs?

Warning signs can differ depending on the type of dementia the person is suffering from. Anyone who has some of these warning signs should speak with a healthcare professional about their concerns. Some of the signs include trouble forming new memories, relying on memory helpers, having trouble finding the right word, struggling to carry out familiar actions, confusion about times, places, or people, misplacing familiar objects, the onset of depression, personality changes, seeing or hearing things, and expressing false beliefs. 

What are the Symptoms of Dementia?

The symptoms of dementia can fall under cognitive or psychiatric symptoms. It’s important to determine which type of symptom the person has to ensure it is treated properly. Those with dementia can have some or all of the symptoms. Cognitive symptoms include amnesia, which is the loss of memory; aphasia, which is the inability to communicate effectively; agnosia, which is the inability to interpret signals from the five senses; and apraxia, which is the loss of the ability to do complex motor skills. 

Psychiatric symptoms include personality changes, depression, hallucinations, and delusions. These symptoms can be clear in the early stages of dementia, especially depression. Hallucinations and delusions typically occur in the middle stage for around 25% of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and are typically hearing or sight related. Many of the psychiatric symptoms can be reduced with the supervised use of medications. 

If you have a loved one who you suspect may have early warning signs of dementia, help them set up an appointment with their primary physician today so they can get help early. While Visiting Angels does not offer home health aides, their caregivers are trained in helping people with dementia. Contact us today to learn more about how a caregiver from Visiting Angels can help your loved one stay in their own home as long as possible.