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Tips for Alzheimers Care

alzheimers care

Some days are better than others, so the more flexible and adaptable you are, the better care you will be able to offer your loved one.

Having a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be a difficult process, especially if you are the primary caregiver. Your loved one likely requires constant support, and having to know what to do and how can make you feel almost as confused as your loved one. But there are a few ways to improve the quality of Alzheimer’s care you provide:

Use schedules to your advantage. With careful scheduling, you can plan your loved one’s days so that they are as comfortable as possible. The more consistent a routine you can establish, the less confusion they will experience. In addition, if they have to do something complicated or deviate from the routine, schedule that during the time of day they are the most alert and agreeable.

Don’t turn the schedule into a crutch, however. If you rely too much on the schedule, it can actually make things more difficult for your loved one. Things may often take longer than scheduled, and that’s perfectly fine. The important part is that a routine exists, not that each day is perfectly orchestrated down to the minute.

Remain adaptable. Alzheimer’s disease progresses as time goes on, so the capabilities your loved one has now may not be there in a few years. In addition, some days are better than others. Sometimes your loved one will be worse than their usual, and sometimes they will be better. The more flexible and adaptable you are, the better care you will be able to offer them.

Take care of yourself. Just as you are responsible for caring for your loved one, you are also responsible for caring for yourself. There is no shame in needing a break or asking for help. Don’t forget that you can’t help them if you aren’t at your best.

The most important part of being an Alzheimer’s caregiver is the love and care needed to support your loved one in this difficult time in their life. As long as you try your best and are open to improvement, you will do a good job.

Contact us for more information on Alzheimer’s care.

Alzheimer’s Disease Care Can Help Patients Be Productive and Happy.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is terrifying. Even at the early-onset stage it delivers images of a loved one, or maybe of you, sitting unresponsively in a nursing home activity room. Alzheimer’s, however, is a progressive disease, and may take years to advance. As a matter of fact, some early-onset Alzheimer’s patients continue to work. Employers, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, make accommodations for employees with the disease, just as they would for those with other impairments.

Phoenix  Alzheimer's careSome of the accommodations are the same ones used at home for individuals in the early stages of the disease. Employers provide a voice-activated recorder to give the employee verbal instructions, make checklists of tasks and reduce the peripheral jobs to concentrate on primary functions. With accommodations at work and some in-home Alzheimer’s care in Phoenix and nearby areas from a senior care service many people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s live productive and happy lives for years. The in-home care can be adjusted as the patient needs more assistance. That continuity is a source of comfort and assurance as the disease progresses.

In addition to workplace accommodations, many patients find that they remember more and function better with memory training. This is another service that Endeavor Home Care, an expert provider of Phoenix Alzheimer’s care and home care in nearby areas, can provide. The caregivers can become trusted friends that add to the security and self reliance of Alzheimer’s patients, especially when they are able to offer the added resource of prayer and faith.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is frightening and life-changing, but with assistance, early-onset patients can still be productive and vital. That’s where we come in. If you have questions about how we can help you or a loved one cope with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, contact us to learn more about our Mesa senior care and care throughout the surrounding areas.