Hi there, my name is Patrice. Welcome to my site. I am excited to share my knowledge about assisted living communities with you all today. When my mother reached her elder years, I was unable to provide her with the level of care she needed each day. I wanted her to receive the best of care without feeling like we abandoned her. I set her up in an assisted living community and visited on a regular basis. I want to use this site to talk about all of the benefits of utilizing assisted living facilities for your parents and other loved ones.
As one of the first signs of dementia, memory loss is often difficult to distinguish from stress related forgetfulness vs. progressive dementia in the early stages. When a loved one is showing consistent signs of memory loss, it's important to encourage the individual to talk about their symptoms with their doctor. When the memory loss continues to get worse, it becomes more clear that the individual is suffering from more than typical forgetfulness and likely has some form of dementia such as Alzheimer's. To support your loved one, you can offer to attend medical appointments, assist with medication reminders, and offer to help cook meals. It can be very anxiety producing for a person with dementia, and your consistent support can make it easier.
Know That Long Term Memory Often Stays Intact
A person who is dealing with dementia will show more difficulty with their short term memory than with their long term memory. This means that it might be difficult for your loved one to remember what they ate for lunch, but they can have a conversation about events from long ago. Bringing up topics of discussion that require the retrieval of long term memories can allow for an enjoyable conversation. When your loved one is stressed because they are struggling with day to day memory losses, encourage conversations that they are capable of participating in.
Focus on Current Abilities
There are many tools you can implement in order to assist with memory loss. Setting up a pill box, preparing meals ahead of time, and leaving reminder notes can make short term memory loss easier. It's important to focus on the current abilities of your loved one. While memory loss may be present, you don't lose all of your skills overnight. If the person can play the piano, encourage this activity. If they love to garden, get outside and start planting. Memory loss is frustrating and can lead to inactivity out of fear. The more you can encourage a loved one to participate in the activities they enjoy, the less isolated or helpless they may feel.
Consider Memory Care When the Person Is Unsafe
As memory loss progresses, it's important to make sure the person you love is safe. If your loved one starts wandering outside the home or getting lost in familiar surroundings, it could be time to move to a more structured environment. With assisted living and nursing home care available, it's important to make the decision to move on to a higher level of care when the time comes.
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