Choosing the right
dementia caregiver
COURIER LIFE, DEC. 6-12, 2019 41
Health
When a loved one is diagnosed
with dementia, a family’s life can
turn upside down. In such situations,
families may not know much
about the disease, including what to
expect with treatment and how soon
before the dementia patient begins
to need care that the family cannot
capably provide.
Over time, dementia patients’
loved ones are likely to benefit from
the expertise and assistance of qualified
dementia caregivers. It can be
overwhelming for loved ones to offer
the right level of care for someone
who is unable to perform the activities
of daily living. Bathing, medication
management, dressing, and
feeding are often very difficult for
dementia patients.
The Alzheimer’s Association
says that providing good care for
someone with dementia goes beyond
meeting basic needs. It also means
finding caregivers who treat the
whole person and provide an environment
that can enable the person
to be safe yet independent.
In order to get started, one should
first assess the needs of their loved
one with dementia. How many services
he or she will require depends
on whether that person can use the
bathroom, walk, eat, or bathe independently.
Alz.org says care needs
tend to be lesser in the early stages
of dementia. However, during the
middle and end stages of dementia,
24-hour supervision and potentially
more intensive medical care may be
necessary.
Some families start with a visiting
caregiver who can come to the
house. For example, a service like
Visiting Angels is certified to offer
care according to advanced dementia
care protocols after working
with leading dementia specialists.
Caregivers may offer companionship
and helpful reminders. Others
may assist clients with personal
tasks. One key aspect of dementia
care is preventing wandering. Alz.
org indicates that six in 10 people
with dementia will wander. A person
with Alzheimer’s may not remember
his or her name or address
and can become disoriented, even
in familiar places. Caregivers can
put protocols in place to help reduce
wandering. Alert bracelets and GPS
tracking devices can help in this regard
as well.
At some point, caregivers can
help families transition someone
with dementia to nursing facilities
with memory care divisions. Social
workers and other aides may help
families navigate the legalities of
medical insurance and long-term
care insurance as well as government
assistance programs that may
help offset the costs of more intensive
care.
It’s never too soon to develop a
care plan for someone with dementia.
Qualified and compassionate
caregivers can help ease the burden
of dementia on patients and their
families.
/Alz.org
