When you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, one of your primary concerns is likely ensuring that they have safe and accommodating lodging. Figuring out a place for your loved one to live when they suffer from Alzheimer's can be a challenging process, as many factors will weigh in on your decision. Get to know more about some of the living options available to your loved one with Alzheimer's disease so that you can be sure that you are making the right decision for the person you care about.
Moving Your Loved One Into Your Residence
If your loved one who suffers from Alzheimer's disease does not already live in your home, one of the options you may wish to consider is having them move in with you so that you can provide them with better care and supervision than they would get living on their own. While many people prefer to have their loved one close rather than in a residential facility, it can be a challenge to have a family member with dementia living in your home.
Safety will be the primary concern in such cases. You will need to consider whether or not you can provide your loved one with 24-hour supervision so that they do not wander off, suffer an accident, or cause harm to themselves or others. This can be remedied by also hiring a part-time home caregiver or nurse who can provide assistance and supplemental care when you need to be at work or away from the house.
Another factor to consider when you move a loved one into your home is what will happen if and when you decide to travel. Leaving your loved one home alone unattended would not be a safe or desirable option for them or for you, and taking someone with Alzheimer' disease to a hotel or other unfamiliar setting can be upsetting to them and may cause serious complications.
Relocating Your Loved One To A Memory Care Home
What you may not know about caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease is that there are residential care homes that are specifically designed to provide the proper care and support to people with memory issues. Unlike standard nursing homes or assisted care facilities, the staff in memory care homes are all highly trained in dealing with various forms of dementia and in developing care routines and programs to suit the needs of each individual resident.
Memory care homes offer specific activities geared to slow or delay the progression of dementia, are highly secure to prevent wandering behaviors, and have both medical and non-medical care providers with residents 24 hours a day for assistance and supervision. Because people with dementia and Alzheimer's can become agitated and even aggressive at times, caregivers in memory care homes are also trained in a variety of techniques to help calm an agitated patient in a way that is safe and secure for the resident and all of the people around them.
If you do decide that a memory care home is the right place for your loved one, it is better to help them transition to their new home when they are still experiencing more periods of lucidity. This will help them to better adjust to their surroundings and will prevent added confusion from being moved around to different homes and having to try to acclimate themselves during each transition.
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