Dementia: When is it the right time to move to assisted living?
Your parent has dementia. Currently, you’ve personally been taking care of them at home or you’ve hired a caregiver to stay home with them and take care of them. There have been some rough patches and you’ve questioned whether moving them into an assisted living facility would be more beneficial for your parent and for you. But, is it the right time?
It is natural and common to feel guilty about your decision to seek outside help. The important thing to consider in this situation is what will be best for your parent. If you are finding it more difficult to give them the care and help that they need at this time, moving them into an assisted living home that has specialized dementia care will allow them to stay independent, receive the help they need, and allow you to spend quality time with them when you visit rather than needing to focus on their needs.
So, if your parent’s needs are greater than you’re able to provide for on your own, an assisted living facility may be the best option. In a study called “Characteristics and Outcomes of Dementia Residents in an Assisted Living Facility,” they said that “dementia patients cared for in their home were younger, less cognitively impaired, and were less likely to need physical assistance or assistance with orientation. They were also less likely to have a psychiatric history, and they had fewer incidents such as wandering and acts of aggression that were burdensome to the caregiver.” Although it may be difficult, try taking a step back and thinking about your parent’s wellbeing. Have they needed your help more often with regular tasks? Have they wandered out of the house and endangered themselves? Have they become agitated and shown aggression? All of these things are difficult to deal with but an assisted living facility who specializes in dementia and memory care will better be equipped to help and keep your parent safe.
There is a growing need for memory care. Currently “someone in America develops AD (Alzheimer’s disease) every 68 seconds. By 2050, there is expected to be one new case of AD every 33 seconds…and AD prevalence is projected to be 11 million to 16 million.” With a growing need, it was imperative for our senior living facility to have memory care in order to take care of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. At the Gables of Ammon, we’ve renovated a portion of our building to be a specialized memory care unit. This has allowed us to better care for those with dementia by keeping them safe, having tailored activities specifically for them, and giving them a better quality of life in our care. If you are thinking about moving your parent into an assisted living home, feel free to give us a call and ask questions or come in for a tour and more information. We want what will be best for you and your family and would love to assist you in determining what will be best in your individual circumstance.
References:
Kopetz, S., Steele, C. D., Brandt, J., Baker, A., Kronberg, M., Galik, E., . . . Lyketsos, C. (n.d.). Characteristics and Outcomes of Dementia Residents in an Assisted Living Facility. Retrieved July 12, 2017, from https://www.beingblocked.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Characteristics-and-outcomes-of-dementia-residents-in-an-assisted-living-facility.pdf
Thies, W., & Bleiler, L. (n.d.). 2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Retrieved July 12, 2017, from https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(12)00032-5/fulltext