Cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia worsen gradually over time. When your loved one is diagnosed with dementia, you try to provide the finest care at home for as long as possible. However, as their situation worsens, caregiving becomes more and more difficult.
Seeing a loved one in such challenging conditions, slowly losing memory and forgetting their family members, can be heart-breaking. And deciding to move them to a senior memory care center is another struggle altogether.
Sometimes, your house is not accurately equipped to offer advanced level care at higher stages of these diseases. So, moving them to a well-equipped place with trained caregivers is better before the situation gets out of control. However, forcing them to a memory care center becomes inevitable regardless of how much you want to keep them with you in the comfort of your home.
There is no specified rule about when memory care is appropriate since the symptoms and conditions vary from person to person. So, here are some signs that can help you understand that it’s time to take your loved one to an authentic memory care center:
1. Behavioral and Personality Changes
One of the primary indicators of intensifying Alzheimer’s is the changes in the behavior and personality of your loved one. As the issue worsens, a patient commonly experiences increased irritability, aggression, or anxiousness. They fail to keep up with their emotions and outburst without any reason.
Such emotional blowup is a clear sign that they need professional assistance, as a caregiver at home cannot handle them singlehandedly. Medical professionals at the memory care center can help them navigate their emotions and administer their changing feelings and thoughts.
2. Hallucinations and Delusional Dangers
As Alzheimer’s progresses, the patient experiences hallucinations and delusions that can lead to harmful situations. When it becomes difficult for your family to navigate their life at home as they see unreal things, it is an indication to move them into much safer and well-trained supervision.
Delusions make the mind fragile by creating confusion and disorientation, which makes them fall into dangerous conditions. If you see your loved one risking their safety repeatedly, the time has come to get them to a memory care center to keep them safe and comfortable.
3. Random Wandering
Wandering is one of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s patients. Once your loved one starts wandering, keeping them safe and under constant supervision at home is quite challenging. Unsupervised wandering can cause tripping hazards that can physically hurt your loved one, who is already in a problematic state of mind.
Memory care becomes necessary for patients with constant wandering incidents. Care centers today have built-in safety features such as continuous-loop walkways with locked exits. They ensure the safety and proper supervision of your loved ones, no matter how much they wander around.
4. Incontinence
As memory starts to fade, incontinence becomes a significant problem. Many patients face this issue where they forget to go to the bathroom. This is a very unsanitary and challenging task for a home caregiver. Even with all the arrangements, it is not possible to keep up with the declining conditions of an Alzheimer’s patient.
This is another sign that you must take your loved one to a care center. The trained staff has ample experience and equipment to handle incontinence situations. They ensure that your beloved family member is kept neat in a hygienic environment.
5. Overwhelmed Caregiver
Caring for an Alzheimer’s affected loved one can be stressful and straining. Their care needs intensify as the disease progresses, causing the caregiver mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. This can also aggravate the caregiver’s health issues, affect the relations within the family and disturb the home environment.
Overwhelmed caregivers or caregiver burnout must be taken seriously as it indirectly affects the quality of their service to the patient. Memory care centers have an exclusive staff catering to the needs of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-affected patients. This takes the pressure off of families and puts their loved ones in a complaisant space.
Final Words
Dealing with the fact that your beloved family member needs memory care is distressing. But they are the ones suffering and coping with the symptoms. So, you must ensure they receive the best care services to live as comfortably as possible.
Various signs indicate that your loved one needs advanced and professional care. As their symptoms magnify, they need comprehensive assistance, more than what can be provided at home. Moving them to a professional center can help them get better support and quality time with you and your family.
We at ‘Lenity Management Community’ have the best facilities to provide proper care services and supervision around the clock.
