When Is It Time: Finding the Best Alzheimer's Care for Your Loved One
As your loved one’s dementia progresses, it is best to prepare and have Alzheimer’s care assistance planned and ready to help
One of the most common questions families ask when their loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is, “When is it time for professional assistance?” It is often family members, especially grown children and spouses, who assume the role of primary caregiver when a loved one is diagnosed with dementia. In the early stages of dementia, this arrangement may be manageable. However, as their disease progresses, your loved one may require care beyond what you are capable of.
As an experienced provider of residential Alzheimer’s care and assisted living, ComfortCare Homes has guided many families through the memory care process. The big question, “Is it time?”, often creates feelings of guilt for family caregivers who feel like they owe it to their loved ones to provide care for them. While these intentions are good, unqualified family caregivers may be doing their loved ones a disservice while creating unnecessary personal stress as well.
Making Alzheimer’s Care Decisions Together
ComfortCare Homes’ President Doug Stark says, “When faced with the decision of having to place a loved one with dementia in the hands of others, I have counseled many families who make the comment ‘I can’t believe what I am doing to mom.’ I remind them they are not doing it to mom, they are doing it for mom.”
The right time to look for Alzheimer’s care and residential assisted living for a loved one is different for every family. However, there are a few things to consider that can help guide the decision-making process. Here are some signs it might be time for memory care or assisted living:
- I continually worry about my loved one’s safety
- My loved one is not eating properly or taking medications correctly
- My loved one can no longer manager personal hygiene independently
- My loved one has had a fall for is frequently injuring themselves by accident
- My loved one is combative and upset with me most of the time
- My loved one is increasingly forgetful, unable to recognize me or other family members
- I am caring for my loved one and it’s leaving me exhausted and stressed
- I am struggling to physically help my loved one get out of a chair or use the toilet
If more than a few of these statements are true of your situation, it may be time to consider professional senior care services. Sometimes acknowledging that you need help is the first step to a wonderful change. ComfortCare Homes in Wichita, KS, provides a variety of specialized dementia and Alzheimer’s care services for seniors in a residential setting. Our care facilities truly are homes, not “home-like”, and family members are encouraged to stay involved in their loved one’s care plan.
Choosing assisted living services for your loved one’s memory care needs is not an admission of defeat. Rather, enlisting the help of compassionate professionals is the best choice you can make for your loved one’s wellness, happiness, and overall well-being. By ensuring your loved one’s personal care needs are met, you can focus on spending quality time together rather than always being the caregiver. When it is time for Alzheimer’s care in Wichita, KS, consider ComfortCare Homes.
For more information about memory care services provided by ComfortCare Homes, please call our office at (316) 685-3322.