Family Management Services

Tips for Coping with a Loved One's Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that begins slowly and gets progressively worse over time. The disease prevents proper function of the brain cells, causing them to die and leading to irreversible changes in the brain.  Here are several ways you can cope with an elderly loved one’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis:

Be Informed

Coping with your loved one’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis is easier when you know what to expect. One way to prepare yourself is to research the symptoms and how the disease progresses. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include memory loss that interferes with daily life, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion regarding place and time, difficulty understanding spatial relationships and visual images, and misplacing items. Other symptoms include losing the ability to retrace steps, new problems speaking or writing words, decreased or poor judgment, changes in mood or personality, and social withdrawal.

Consider Counseling

Seeking professional counseling or joining a support group is a great way to deal with your emotions while caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. Talk through your feelings, learn more about Alzheimer’s care options, and meet with people going through the same struggles by joining a counseling group.

Seek Assistance

In many cases, the adult child will take on the role of the caregiver when a parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This often causes an upheaval of several emotions and is heightened by the fact that most families lack an in-depth understanding of the nature of the disease. Fortunately, an in-home care agency can ease the burden by guiding families in the needs of a parent with the disease.

When your elderly loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, you’ll want to seek the care of a qualified senior care agency. Let our certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, and case managers with Family Management Services create an Alzheimer’s care plan to meet the needs of your family member. Visit our website or give us a call at (571) 748-5429 to learn more.

Know Immediately If Your Senior Loved One Falls with the Help of This App

More and more elderly individuals are choosing to remain in their homes rather than move to a nursing home or long-term care facility. Unfortunately, living alone increases the risk of falls and other injuries.

Available for Android phones, the new Fall Detector app allows you to monitor your elderly loved one’s activity and determine whether or not “normal” activity is occurring. This app provides alerts for falls and period of inactivity to ensure that your loved one is alert and safe in his or her home.

Make sure that your elderly family member is receiving the at-home care he or she needs by hiring a senior care agency. For more information on case management and home health care services, contact Family Management Services at (571) 748-5429.

Activities Your Aging Loved One and Your Kids Can Do Together

Having your children to interact with your elderly loved ones is a great way to boost your aging loved one’s overall health and wellness. The United States Environmental Protection Agency states that intergenerational interaction has been shown to enhance socialization, stimulate learning skills, improve overall health, and increase emotional support in elderly individuals. Consider some of the activities that your aging loved one and your children can do together:

Indoor Activities

Indoor activities including arts and crafts, hobbies, and games are often the most practical for elderly individuals. Collaborative art projects like making collages or scrapbooks are a great way for your elderly parents and your children to bond. You may also consider activities including roleplaying, storytelling, sewing, cooking, puzzles, and board games, as these all provide valuable learning opportunities and can help sharpen your aging parent’s memory skills.

Outdoor Activities

Taking part in certain outdoor activities is a great way to provide relief from the ordinary for both your aging loved one and your children. Your children and elderly family members can take part in low-impact sports such as lawn bowling and croquet. They can also participate in non-athletic activities like gardening or bird watching. Your children and your aging parents may also enjoy taking walks around the neighborhood, visiting a nearby playground, or taking part in spectator activities such as visiting a zoo or museum.

If you are struggling to determine how to boost social interaction between your children and your elderly loved one, it may be time to consult with a home health care agency. Many senior care and in-home care agencies work with family members to determine which activities are physically doable for your elderly loved one. For more information on assistance for caregivers or senior care services, contact Family Management Services at (571) 748-5429. We also offer Alzheimer’s care and case management services.

What Is Respite Care and How Can It Give You the Break You Need?

It is only natural to worry about your elderly parents or loved ones as they grow older, especially when it comes to their overall health and safety. Many individuals choose to act as caregivers to their aging family members rather than ask them to leave the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, ensuring the wellness of another individual can be extremely taxing on a physical and emotional level. Read on for information on how you and your family may benefit from respite care offered by a home health care agency.

Provide a Much-Needed Break

It is important for caregivers to take a break from their duties every so often and focus on their own wellbeing, as this will directly impact their ability to provide care for their loved ones. Similar to other types of home health care, respite care is a type of short-term care that is provided by an in-home care agency, enabling a family member to take some much-needed time off to maintain his or her physical and emotional health. This is ideal for individuals looking to take a single day off, take one afternoon off per week, spend time away for the holidays, or go away on vacation.

Help with Other Tasks

In addition to providing companionship to your family member, in-home respite care services may include meal planning and preparation, monitoring of medication dosages, light housekeeping services, and health care evaluations. Respite care may also provide assistance for your loved one’s hygienic and bathroom needs.

Here at Family Management Services, our certified nursing assistants and companions are devoted to providing the senior care services your aging loved one needs. All of our providers are supervised by an on-call RN case manager who is available 24 hours a day. For more information on respite care, Alzheimer’s care, and case management, contact us at (571) 748-5429. You can also visit us online for more information on our services.

Ways to Help a Family Member Deal with Dementia

Dementia refers to a collection of symptoms caused by a disorder affecting the brain. This video from the Alzheimer’s Society discusses five ways that you can help a family member suffering from dementia. Many individuals tend to focus more on the dementia itself rather than the person suffering from the disease. However, it is important to remember that your loved one is still the same unique, valuable person that he or she was before and should be treated with dignity and respect. It is also crucial to stay in touch with an elderly loved one suffering from dementia to ensure that he or she knows you care.

Whether you’re loved one is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, our caregivers with Family Management Services are here to help. Contact us at (571) 748-5429 for more information on our Alzheimer’s care services and in-home health care.