Best In-Home Alzheimer’s Care Solutions for Every Family

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 11 million adults in the U.S. who provide unpaid care for someone with a form of dementia, providing more than 18 billion hours of care a year.

If you are a family caregiver, these statistics tell you that you are not alone. You are part of a community. There are millions of people just like you who understand the challenges and obstacles you face every day. The good news is that 24/7 assistance is available to those who opt for professional senior in-home care services.

Top Benefits of Home Care in Virginia, USA

Challenges and Solutions

Since so many family caregivers are dealing with the same problems, senior in-home care providers like Nurse Next Door provide personalized 24-hour Alzheimer’s care services.

Challenge # 1: Understanding Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease manifests and progresses differently in each person. If you are new to this condition, it can be overwhelmingly confusing and stressful without help and guidance.

Solution: Professionals who specialize in Alzheimer’s in-home care can provide you with the education and clarity you need about aging in place with Alzheimer’s and dementia. They can educate you and your loved one about what to expect at each stage, and how to best manage your loved one’s care. This knowledge and support will allow you to both deal with what is happening right now and plan for the future.

Challenge #2: Ensuring Health and Safety

One of the most pressing problems you face as a family caregiver is how to keep your loved one medically, physically, and emotionally healthy and safe. Confronted by an entirely new set of concerns – falls, fires, wandering off, accidents, confusion, agitation, violence, and depression – you probably do not even know where to start.

Solution: Professional Alzheimer’s in-home care providers are trained to prevent problems before they ever happen. They protect your loved one’s physical and emotional well-being by:

• Developing a 24-hour Alzheimer’s care plan
• Establishing a daily routine
• Managing overall health
• Checking vital signs
• Dispensing medications
• Ensuring the patient has good nutrition and fluid intake
• Monitoring their emotional state
• Performing a home safety assessment
• Recommending modifications to minimize the risks of falls, wandering away, and other accidents.
  

Challenge #3: The Progression of the Disease

Sadly, Alzheimer’s is a progressive condition – it always gets worse over time. But it does not progress on a set or predictable timetable. This can mean a long, slow descent into the next stage of the disease, or it can mean a cognitive and physical decline that seems to happen overnight.

Such rapid progression can catch you by surprise, while you are still emotionally, logistically, and financially unprepared.

Solution: Your professional senior in-home care team is both trained and experienced in how to recognize signs of Alzheimer’s progression and can quickly respond with any necessary changes to the care plan. 

Best of all, they can proactively employ strategies that can slow cognitive and physical decline, such as medication, cognitive stimulation therapy, and memory games.

Challenge #4: Ensuring Quality of Life

The cognitive changes associated with progressive Alzheimer’s disease can have a negative impact on the person’s mood, their engagement in enjoyable activities, and their ability to perform normal activities of daily living. These limitations directly affect their quality of life.

Solution: One of the primary goals of Alzheimer’s in-home care is to help the person enjoy the highest quality of life possible for as long as they are able. This is achieved by a combination of efforts:

• Medication
• Social and family interaction
• Companionship
• Supported independence
• Keeping the mind sharp with brain games
• Exercise
• Activities that are adapted to their ability

Challenge #5: Time and Routine Management

What in the beginning was occasional assistance by a family member can become 24-hour Alzheimer’s care as the disease progresses. It seems as if there is ALWAYS something to do – personal care, medication, safety monitoring, activities, meals, doctor’s appointments – the list goes on. Keeping everything scheduled and organized can be a huge chore, and you may feel like there are never enough hours in the day.

Solution: Senior in-home care is flexible and can be tailored to meet not only the patient’s individual needs, but also the needs of the family, allowing you to fulfill your commitments – work, school, family obligations,  errands, self-care, etc.

Your home care team takes on the responsibility of establishing and maintaining an efficient daily routine that gives you relief and peace of mind while still providing the highest standards of care. You can spend less time trying to figure out what needs to get done and how to do it, and more time on meaningful activities with your loved one.

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Challenge #6: Burnout is Real

Alzheimer’s disease takes a tremendous toll on family caregivers. Stress, exhaustion, financial strain, social isolation, unrealistic expectations about the outcome, a lack of support, and other factors combine to negatively impact their physical and emotional health. 

Solution: Working with an Alzheimer’s in-home care team lightens your load by making it possible for you to take a break. You can step back, take a breath, rest, and most importantly, practice self-care.

You can also enjoy peace of mind because you know that your loved one is taken care of by trained and compassionate caregivers.

Challenge #7: One Size Does Not Fit All

In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, your family has to adapt to the rules, procedures, and schedule of the facility. They determine how your loved one is treated, their medical care, how they spend their day, and even when they can see the family. Since it is an unfamiliar environment, it adds to your loved one’s confusion, stress, and emotional distress.

Solution: Senior in-home care is customizable and tailored to the unique needs of your loved one and your family. You can be involved in the process of making decisions. Services are provided around your schedule, allowing you to meet the other obligations in your life.

Challenge #8: Cost Can Be a Concern

Placing your loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility is exorbitantly expensive, and often unnecessary, especially in the early-to-mid stages of the disease. 

Solution: 24-hour Alzheimer’s care at home is a much more affordable option. Best of all, senior in-home care providers like Nurse Next Door create a personalized home care plan after assessing your loved one’s needs. 

How Homecare Assistance Can Elevate Your Life

Choose a Dependable Senior In-Home Care Provider

Every situation is different, each with its own challenges and difficulties. Nurse Next Door is your most trusted local partner that works with you to provide the best possible compassionate in-home dementia care for your loved one.

If you live in Northern Virginia, Nurse Next Door’s team of licensed caregivers helps your loved one age in place with dignity, comfort, and safety at all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

To learn more about what Nurse Next Door can do for you, book a Caring Consult today.