Coping with Alzheimer's

Most often, after an initial diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a related dementia illness, families are faced with difficult decisions about providing care for their loved one. Working parents with children are faced with new stresses to balance work and family. Families who are separated by great distances must make hard choices to provide care. Sometimes nursing homes or special care retirement centers seem to be the only options. You do have a choice and we can help.

Caregivers Home Care and Staffing's non-medical home care services allow your loved one to maintain the independence of their daily routines and familiar surroundings. We can help your loved one avoid the emotional trauma of leaving their cherished home while helping cope with the dementia illness and providing the respite care so important for the family.

Knowing When

Physical, psychological, social, spiritual, or environmental changes can signal that your loved one's quality of life is at risk. If the following identifiers seem familiar to your situation, it may be time to take action to protect your family member, while still preserving their independence and lifestyle.

Memory Impairment

• Leave the stove, oven or iron on
• Forget to take medication
• Wander from home and have difficulty getting back
• Miss appointments
• Forget to pay bills
• Hallucinate or have an altered mental status

Changes in Mobility

• Frequent falls
• Difficulty using a bathtub, shower or toilet
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty using an assistance device such as a cane or walker
• Difficulty climbing stairs
• Difficulty getting out of chairs

Changes in Mood and Behavior

• Seem to have lost interest in life
• Talk about feeling hopeless
• Experience frequent mood swings
• Socially isolate themselves
• Have decreased participation in such regular activities as church, clubs or social groups
• Fear going outside the home

Changes in Sleep Patterns

• Sleep most of the day
• Experience Insomnia
• Sleep poorly, or have interrupted sleep
• Changes in Diet
  Does Your Loved One:
• Lack food in the home: empty cupboards or refrigerator
• Eat inappropriate or unhealthy food, or food that may worsen a medical condition such as diabetes or heart disease
• Lack appetite or overeat
• Experience noticeable weight gain or loss

Changes in Physical Appearance

• Show signs of bodily injury - frequent or serious bruises, cuts, burns
• Have abnormal skin color
• Have shortness of breath
• Have swollen feet or ankles
• Experience weight changes
• Have an unkept appearance
• Experience challenges maintaining daily hygiene
• Wear the same clothes many days in a row

Changes in Household

• Large amounts of unopened mail
• Widespread clutter
• Failure to do laundry or other basic cleaning tasks
• An inability to care for the exterior of the home