What Care is Involved During the Later Stages of Alzheimer’s?
Caring for people who have Alzheimer’s disease is a big challenge. As Alzheimer’s patients grow older and their condition declines, they often need a lot of extra care and help. Personal care at home can offer a lot of the assistance they need, ensuring that seniors with Alzheimer’s disease are safe and happy in their homes.
Progression of Cognitive Decline
The biggest hallmark of the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease is a marked progression in cognitive decline. Seniors may struggle with simple tasks like getting dressed, eating, communicating, and more. This is where personal care at home offers a tremendous amount of assistance. Seniors who are having difficulty with tasks that were once easy to manage don’t have to face health or comfort consequences from not handling those tasks.
Increased Need for Assistance
People with Alzheimer’s disease may need a lot of help in other ways, too. Mobility is often a challenge, as well as maintaining a household. Seniors with advanced Alzheimer’s disease lean on home care providers and family caregivers more than they ever did in the past.
Communication Challenges
Communication often declines along with cognitive skills as a result of Alzheimer’s disease, too. People with Alzheimer’s have more trouble expressing themselves, interacting with other people, and understanding verbal cues. Elder care providers have a lot of experience understanding Alzheimer’s patients and helping them to be understood by the people around them.
Behavioral Changes
The later stages of Alzheimer’s disease bring with them a lot of behavioral changes that can be difficult to understand. Seniors are often agitated or upset because so many things are much more difficult now. Having senior care professionals available who are experienced with these types of patients can be really helpful for everyone involved.
Safety Concerns
Safety is always important, but as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, it’s much more complicated. People with Alzheimer’s are often prone to situations like wandering, falling, or becoming injured in an accident. Experienced caregivers are able to stay on top of safety concerns that could turn into problems down the line.
Emotional Support
The emotional toll that Alzheimer’s disease takes on family caregivers and other family members is immense. Witnessing the decline of a beloved family member is not easy to do, so it’s important that family caregivers are able to take the time they need to get the emotional support they require. Senior care providers understand and are able to pick up the slack.
End-of-life Planning
At some point, it’s time to do end-of-life planning. It’s always better if the aging adult in question is able to contribute to those plans, but sometimes Alzheimer’s disease makes that impossible. Care professionals can help families find the resources they need in order to make end-of-life planning easier.
The cognitive decline that comes with Alzheimer’s disease robs aging adults and the people who love them of so much. Having the right personal care at home enables families to focus on what is most important as their family members face the challenges that come with this progressive brain illness. Knowing that seniors are in good hands is vital for busy family caregivers.
If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Plainsboro, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care today. Call (732) 607-8870.
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