Choices In Dementia Care

“My mother doesn’t remember to turn off the stove” “My husband
takes a walk and doesn’t always seem to know his way home” “My
wife sometimes stops in mid-sentence and can’t complete her
thought” “My father sometimes forgets who my kids are”
These and many other concerns, indicate the possibility of
dementia Dementia is a slow or progressing decline in mental
abilities, such as concentration, staying on task, and memory
Once someone has been diagnosed with dementia, it means that
other medical possibilities which may account for the declining
abilities have been examined and ruled out The task is now to
figure out how to make choices in dementia care that will
provide safety and basic needs in the least restrictive manner,
and the least costly way
One method of caring for a person with dementia is at home Many
American spouses currently care for their husband or wife at
home, which can be physically and mentally stressful for the
caregiver spouse Sometimes the adult children help their
parents cope with the extra responsibilities Most people don’t
like to go out of their homes when they are experiencing some
confusion or forgetfulness They like the routine and
familiarity with their home and will become angry and resistant
of out-of-home care
There are many cases in which additional help is brought in For
example, there are many home health and companion agencies which
provide paid helpers to take care of the family member with
dementia, and also of the spouse Also, there are products which
can be purchased to make the house a safer environment
Other times, the aging parent or parents move in with their
adult children Relocating, however, can cause stress and
irritability, and can even result in reduced mental or cognitive
functioning, as the safety and familiarity of the home, and the
sense of belonging and ownership is lost
Adult day care centers are springing up around the nation as an
alternative to home based care These centers provide structured
activity and supervision, along with socialization and
stimulation, while the spouse and caretakers have relief or go
to work Many participants of such programs get used to the new
routine and enjoy the socialization and stimulation, while at
the same time continue to return home in the evening
Assisted living facilities are also a fast growing industry, as
nursing homes become cost prohibitive and focus on the most
intensively medically needy members of the population Many
assisted living facilities offer quiet and modern appearances,
private rooms, all or most meals, and security for dementia
care
As the residents of these facilities age, the assisted living
facilities offer increased levels of care to provide an
opportunity for “aging in place” and avoid the need to move to a
nursing facility Trips are often provided when a person is able
to benefit from and safely attend a trip out of the facility
Group activities are often offered on site as well
Nursing facilities, or nursing homes, are the most costly and
most restrictive outside of hospitals They provide more
intensive medical care, and have historically provided choices
in dementia care, including locked units and fenced in yards
Many facilities offered skilled care, and are called skilled
nursing facilities or skilled nursing homes The skilled level
of care includes intensive nursing care, physical therapy and
other therapies and rehabilitation Medicare covers some of this
care, which takes place after a brief hospitalization, with the
hope of recovery and movement to a less restrictive environment
Unskilled or custodial care in a nursing home is designed for
those whose abilities to care for themselves or to receive care
at home or in another setting is declining Examples of these
types of nursing home placements include choices in dementia
care, long term care for hip fractures, heart failure and other
medical conditions that have worsened over time Medicare does
not usually cover the long term placement
The many choices in dementia care can be overwhelming Talk to
your doctor about where to start Visit adult day care, assisted
living facilities and nursing homes, and interview the social
workers and admission professionals Hospital discharge social
workers are also a good source of help; their job is to find
placements for hospital patients who are being discharged and
they know many of the area resources
In addition, most counties have an office dedicated to
consulting for elderly issues, such as the county Area Agency
for the Aging (AAA) or there are Geriatric Care Consultants, who
you can find in your yellow pages, who will advise you about the
choices in dementia care in your community
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the care and how to
finance it; there are many government programs that may help pay
the cost

Tags | abilities, children, choices, concentration, day, dementia, forgetfulness, medical, sentence