A dementia diagnosis is one of the most difficult for individuals and families to deal with. The idea of watching someone you love one fade away as their memories diminish is heartbreaking. The further knowledge that you may have to consider a specialized care facility for them to live out the rest of their days surrounded by strangers is more frightening still. But, so is the knowledge that your loved one now requires care and treatment you may not be able to provide.
In-home dementia care services present a viable option that is worth considering for many families facing these painful choices.
How Can Home Health Dementia Care Services Help?
While some people believe your only choice is a full-time senior care center with a memory care unit, that isn't necessarily the case. Other options exist in the form of in-home health care that offers dementia care supervision for patients. There are even varying levels of care to consider as well.
Managed dementia care at home is especially easy during early stages when there are sustained moments of clarity, as long as there is no aggressive behavior toward others in the household. Depending on the level of care you get, this can help your loved one maintain independence, offer emotional and mental relief to family members providing care, and allow your loved one to remain with familiar things as long as possible. The right team providing dementia care services can offer a wide range of assistance including:
- Ensuring your loved one takes medication on time.
- Managing personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Assist with mobility.
- Provide transportation to and from medical appointments.
- Prevent and/or minimize wandering.
- Prepare meals and perform light housekeeping.
Are More Advanced Dementia Care Services Available?
Other dementia care services offer services for dementia patients with more advanced needs. This includes actual home health nurses who can administer medications and some treatments. For specialized memory care programs, most dementia patients will need to live in senior living communities that offer these services. While a few facilities offer outpatient dementia care, including adult day care centers, the most sustainable results for advanced cases often come from nursing homes or senior living communities with direct memory care treatment programs.
Work closely with your physician and your loved one to establish a treatment plan that meets the need of the dementia patient best. Like so many treatments, there is no one size fits all treatment for dementia care. It needs to be handled on a person-by-person basis.
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