When it comes to cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the signs and symptoms can come on slowly, unfolding over a period of time which often makes it difficult to know when memory care – a high-touch, hands-on form of professional programmed care – is truly needed.
Consider the following signs if or when you become challenged with making mindful, long-term care plans for a loved one living with memory loss.
Clear Signs It’s The Right Time For Memory Care
Multiple studies find that moving an individual with Alzheimer’s or dementia into a Memory Care setting like the environment provided at Silvergate Memory Care Suites sooner rather than later results in better mental, physical and emotional outcomes for seniors living with memory loss.
- A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia has been made
Everyone is forgetful at times, and forgetfulness increases with age. However, routine forgetting of important dates, names, how to get to familiar places or pay bills, etc. is not normal. These are often the first signs of memory loss and should trigger a doctor’s visit for an examination.
The desire to live at home for as long as possible is understandable in the beginning stages of the disease, as long as there are no serious safety issues at risk.
At the same time, this is your best opportunity to visit, tour and explore your memory care options. You are looking for a reputable, licensed memory care setting with professional, programmed care like that available at Silvergate Memory Care Suites.
Studies show transitioning a loved one from home into memory care before more dangerous signs and symptoms of memory loss arise is the best plan of action.
Transitioning earlier allows your loved one to have a say in his or her future surroundings and caregivers. It also provides more time for adjustment, so they’re familiar with their surroundings, forming relationships and connections with caregivers, staff and other residents if or when they progress to later stages of dementia.
With a confirmed diagnosis, it’s time to begin having conversations about memory care.
- Caregiver Stress Or Burnout
Caregiving for a loved one with memory loss is a round-the-clock job. Without engaging in regular respite care, care visits outside the home give home caregivers a much needed break from the day-to-day work, as it becomes nearly impossible to sustain the routine. Even with qualified, in-home care providers, those with mid-to-late-stage memory loss require increasing levels of medical assistance, and the sheer number of unceasing tasks becomes more than almost any household can maintain.
If you’re approaching, or have already reached a point where caregiving is all-consuming, it’s time to consider a professional Memory Care facility.
If you are a part of the “sandwich generation” where you’re stuck between an aging parent requiring care, a regular job that pays the bills and the needs of your own family, it’s time to consider Memory Care.
- A Decline In Your Loved One’s Overall Health
As memory loss sets in, so do the challenges in your loved one’s ability to drive a car, make grocery lists, prepare food, remember daily medications or even remember to eat.
Losing track of days and times has a disastrous effect on the circadian rhythm, contributing to Sundowner’s syndrome, insomnia and other sleep disorders that take a toll on both health and well-being.
Physical signs include:
- Rapid weight loss
- Lack of food in the refrigerator or cabinets
- Evidence of medication not taken (or overtaken)
- Neglected personal hygiene
- Hunched or sunken posture
- Inexplicable bruises, bone breaks and/or injuries
- Unpaid bills
- Missed appointments
The inability to remember how to get home or where one is going puts seniors at risk for injury, getting lost or becoming victims of scams and potentially violent crime.
Similarly, those with dementia are more prone to being injured at home and are less able to remember how to seek help, forgetting to press a “life alert” button or how to use the phone to call 911 for help.
Placing a loved one in Memory Care brings families peace of mind while simultaneously ensuring their loved one is supported, attended to and cared for day-in and day-out.
If you find yourself worrying about a loved one’s well-being on a regular basis, it’s time to consider a transition to Memory Care.
- Little To No Social Interaction
The social life of someone living with dementia shrinks considerably as memory loss progresses – exacerbating and even accelerating the condition.
In addition to on-site medical care and one of the highest caregiver-to-resident ratios in the industry, Memory Care at Silvergate offers residents the opportunity for an on-going, rich and vibrant social lifestyle. Daily activities, supervised excursions, and a host of creative outlets are the foundation upon which Silvergate’s Memory Care program operates.
“Neighbors” are close at hand for residents living in Silvergate’s Memory Care Suites thanks to a thoughtful neighborhood community floorplan that helps to maintain a home-like environment and yet centers residents around a common living and dining room area. Neighboring residents easily meet and mingle, and with no corridors to wander, confusion is reduced and a comfortable, familiar environment is created.
If your loved one has little to no interaction with friends, neighbors or even extended family members, it’s time to consider the benefits of Memory Care.
- Your Instincts Are Telling You A Different Care Solution Is Needed
Inevitably, your gut instincts are telling you the truth.
If you deeply suspect it’s time to move a loved one into better care circumstances, it’s undoubtedly true. Honor that feeling with a consultation with a Silvergate Memory Care advisor and let your intuition lead you on the best path forward.
Be Proactive, Learn More About Memory Care Before Your Loved One Needs It
Spouses and family members often find themselves at a loss when a tipping point is reached with at-home care. Quite often, accidental injuries, malnutrition and diminished quality of life force everyone’s hand.
Don’t wait for your loved one to slip further or for you and your family members to become mentally and physically exhausted before you start exploring memory care. Understand the signs and symptoms of cognitive decline, and be aware of your loved one’s state of well-being and health.
Take a tour of the Memory Care Suites at Silvergate now…ask questions…and learn all you can before they need it. Call Pam Rundle today at (858) 451-1100 to book a lunch tour of Silvergate’s Memory Care Suites building today.
In case you missed it:
SILVERGATE’S UNIQUE MEMORY CARE FOSTERS IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE
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