Alzheimer’s disease takes a toll on the entire family. Family members with a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s suddenly face critical long-term care decisions and challenges arranging for the care their loved one needs. As the disease progresses, individuals require a greater level of care. Although families may choose to delay hiring a home health aide until the impairment is evident, it’s always best to visit an agency for senior care in Memphis as soon as possible to make decisions regarding home care solutions.

Mild Cognitive Decline
Clinical evidence suggests that the changes to the brain associated with Alzheimer’s begin well before symptoms are apparent. When symptoms do begin to arise, the individual will typically experience minor lapses in memory. It may still be quite some time before a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be made. Gradually, others will begin to notice changes in their loved one, such as difficulty with daily activities, word retrieval and name recall, problems performing routine tasks, and difficulty with planning and organizing.

Moderate Cognitive Decline
As the effects of the disease grow more severe, families often turn to an agency that provides dementia care. With moderate cognitive decline, individuals often become forgetful of recent events, they may become socially withdrawn, and they may exhibit changes in personality, such as becoming increasingly moody. Additionally, individuals typically have more trouble with complex tasks, such as handling their finances, and they may find mental arithmetic challenging.

Severe Cognitive Decline
During the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease , memory loss increases and cognitive function declines significantly. Individuals may be unable to remember their own phone number, for example, and they may often become confused about time and place. Gradually, they may become unaware of their surroundings and recent events. During these stages, individuals need a great deal of help with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, and toileting. Wandering behaviors, compulsive behaviors, and significant personality changes are not uncommon. Eventually, individuals can no longer respond to their environment, control their own movements, or carry on a conversation. Alzheimer’s is a fatal disease with no cure; however, a home care provider can help individuals with this disease maintain their dignity.

Hospice programs provide compassionate end-of-life care to individuals who have a life expectancy of six months or less. Individuals receiving this type of home health care in Memphis can receive a variety of palliative services, which are intended to improve comfort and quality of life. Despite the prevalence of hospice programs throughout the country, many people have misconceptions about them.

To learn the truth behind some common misconceptions, watch this interview with a hospice professional. He explains the philosophy of care and where care services are typically provided. He discusses some of the individuals who may benefit from hospice care and the types of professionals who work with hospice patients.

When a loved one is first diagnosed with a serious illness, it’s common for families to meet with specialists, explore treatment options, and consider clinical trials. At a certain point, healthcare providers may inform the patient that the treatments aren’t working and that he or she is not a candidate for other curative options. This doesn’t mean that the patient will no longer receive care; however, services will transition from curative treatments to palliative care. End-of-life care is often provided by Caring Companions in Memphis, who may be working in conjunction with a hospice care program.

Care Team
An end-of-life care team is typically comprised of many different professionals. A patient may have elder care companions who provide services such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship, and personal care. Nurses from the hospice care program can visit the patient’s home to assess his or her needs and determine how to improve quality of life . The hospice team may also include social workers, trained volunteers, spiritual counselors, or members of the clergy.

Palliative Care
The hospice care team provides palliative care, which can take many different forms. Palliative care does not focus on treating the condition; rather, it is intended to manage symptoms to provide greater comfort at the end of life. A nurse can help the patient manage his or her pain and other symptoms. He or she may provide prescription medications or medical supplies for symptom management. For example, if a patient can no longer get out of bed to go to the bathroom, the nurse can insert a catheter that will stay in place and drain into a special bag.

Family Support
An important component of end-of-life care is support for the whole family. A hospice care team can offer the family practical assistance and psychological counseling. For instance, a hospice nurse can instruct family members on how to properly set the controls on oxygen therapy equipment, how to lift and transfer the patient, and how to administer medications. A spiritual or psychological counselor can be there to offer emotional support to family members as they struggle to cope with anticipatory grief during their loved one’s illness and the grieving process after the passing.

One of the hardest decisions adult children face is recognizing when their parents need care. This reversal of roles can be difficult for everyone to handle at first, but making decisions about care as soon as you notice signs that your parents need assistance gives you the freedom to make choices without the pressure of an emergency situation.

This infographic from Caring Companions details some of the signs that your parents could benefit from home care and how to start a conversation about home health care with your family. Our caregivers serving Memphis can provide a range of care services, from hospice and Alzheimer’s care to basic elder care duties. Call us to learn how we can give you peace of mind about your parents’ wellbeing, and please share this information to help others who are also facing difficult decisions about their aging family members.

Adult children are often faced with difficult decisions regarding their parents’ care. Often, when a parent’s health declines, he or she is resistant to the idea of moving to an assisted living facility—and with good reason. This is why home health care in Memphis and across the country is growing in popularity. While in -home care is often a better option for elderly parents than an assisted living facility, parents may still display some resistance to the idea. Continue reading for a few tips to help you and your parents with this transition.

Start the Conversation Early
Many adult children wait to discuss the idea of elder care with their parents until a serious medical problem has already occurred. Unfortunately, it can take some time for aging parents to adjust to the idea that they could benefit from receiving elder care services. It’s advisable for adult children to begin the conversation early, while parents still have the ability to care for themselves. It’s likely that the transition into home care will require many conversations over a period of months or perhaps years.

Use the Right Approach
Aging parents often pride themselves on their independence and their capabilities, even if those capabilities have begun to decline. When it is evident that a parent needs home care services, adult children should be careful to use the right pronoun. Instead of saying, “You need some help with meal preparation because of your arthritis,” an individual could say, “I’m worried that you’re losing weight. It would reassure me to know that someone was here to ensure you eat healthy meals each day.” Some adult children may even decide to call a home care provider a “housekeeper” instead of a “caregiver” to bolster their parents’ pride.

Introduce a Care Plan Gradually
Arranging home care solutions for aging parents doesn’t always have to mean hiring a caregiver to be in the home 24/7, although this certainly can be arranged. It’s often easier for aging parents to adjust to the idea of in-home care if they begin a care plan gradually. For example, adult children could arrange for periodic respite care when they’re short on time. Later, a caregiver could provide services for just a few hours per week. As the elderly parents need more assistance, they could receive additional care.