Tips For Easing The Move Into Assisted Living
If you have an aged loved one at home who has been behaving erratically for the past couple of months, chances are you have already read up a ton on dementia, as a well as a variety of other health conditions. There is something called dementia care, or specifically memory care, where affected seniors are relocated to a community living setting dedicated to the care of people like them. Whether this falls under skilled nursing, assisted living, or a split-building housing setup, there is always an operating dementia care unit present to cater to resident’s specialized needs.
Recognizing the Right Time for a Move
When it comes to moving their elder into dementia care at nursing homes like Palmcrest, lots of people struggle with the question of timing. The answer, of course, boils down to this: if you have been giving it thought, then it is probably time, or past the time when you should move your loved one into a memory care facility. This means most people end up waiting too long, even up to two years. It bears reminder that a dementia care unit is usually much more suited to an elder with dementia than the liveliest, most loving home.
Many people think of dementia care units as cold, white-walled spaces that shuts off residents from the rest of the world, sitting them in wheelchairs next to windows, but the reality is starkly different. These are frequently active communities with all the bustle and energy to rival a school setting. Special consideration is placed on what is good for each resident, as well as his or her specific needs, such as the best memory care Los Angeles has to offer.
Signs That a Move is the Right Choice
It is unusual for a dementia patient to be moved into dementia care too early. When it does happen, the person’s condition is too mild for them to be able to acclimatize rapidly enough, which means they end up spending a couple of months with extra protective care. On the other side of things, you have elders with advanced dementia who obviously move in too late, which is much worse. Watching for and reacting to the following signs could spare your loved one significant discomfort.
- Life at Home is Getting Tough for Them: If your loved one has been living by themselves, you will need to reassess the decision of allowing them independence at the risk of their safety. Even if they are living with you, and their care needs have exceeded what you are able to deliver, they are definitely better off somewhere they can enjoy reliable care. This would leave both of you a lot happier in the long run.
- You are Battling Exhaustion: The best caregivers stay habitually unaware of the fact that they are doing work caring for someone; putting themselves second comes instinctively. While this is an admirable trait, it does take its toll over time. If exhaustion has become a common theme of your daily life, it is possible the care duties you perform are falling short. A professional team would be much more adept at providing the care your elder needs, especially if dementia has already onset.
- Their Emotional and Physical Care Needs Have Escalated: If your parent has dementia and loses a large part of their continence, it becomes much more difficult to care for them. Much the same applies to, say, a spouse with dementia, who keeps looting the fridge every time they are left by themselves. Other examples abound, but the gist is that if a loved one’s needs go beyond your ability to provide for them, you are in over your head trying to care for them by yourself. Even a whole family acting as a cohesive unit, could not manage what a specifically trained care team can – making sure the elder spends their days in the most fulfilling ways.
- Their Life in Independent Living is Getting Out of Hand: Everyone can be allowed certain room to manage their own affairs and lives, and that includes able elders. However, if you come to know that your loved one is missing meals, wandering half dressed, or holding away from people, you should be looking more closely for specific signs of dementia. In such a case, life in independent living is probably not the best thing for them, but dementia care can be. The latter includes caregivers making sure each resident has their meals and performs daily living activities at the right times.
- They are Drawing Inward: Everyday conversations are vital to leading a healthy life. Elders with dementia are easily prone to withdraw from such interaction when they encounter communication blocks, which is bad. Moving them to a dementia care community might be the answer to this problem; there, residents are all of comparable cognitive levels, and this enables your senior to feel comfortable engaging and relaxing in the ways they need to. Such places also feature special activities for residents to enjoy and benefit from.
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