People with Alzheimer’s will require more care as they go through the stages of the disease. One explanation is that medications used to treat the disease can not cure the condition; instead, they can only manage its symptoms. Over time, symptoms like confusion and memory loss will worsen.
Many people with Alzheimer’s or other kinds of dementia want to spend as much time as possible at home. Being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s can provide the unique challenge of juggling multiple responsibilities, including being a parent, partner, and employee.
Some caregivers need assistance when the person is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, while others require help when the person is in the later stages of the disease. It is okay to ask for assistance whenever you need it. There are numerous ways to receive help with caring for a dementia patient if the moment ever comes when you require more assistance.
1. Home Health Care Services
Home health care refers to medical help and care given inside a patient’s residence. Home health care aides are certified medical personnel who visit your home to assist you in recovering from an illness, injury, or hospital stay. Aides offer medical treatments coordinated by your doctor, and you require your doctor’s order for these services.
- Home health care services include:
- Nursing Care
- Medication administration and management
- Assistance with getting dressed, bathing, grooming, eating, and bedtime preparation
- Wound Care
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
- Monitoring for mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
Home care services usually charge hourly. For overnight stays, certain services have a set payment. Medicare may reimburse some expenses but does not generally cover nonmedical care.
2. Home Helpers and Companions
You can also obtain several additional in-home services if you need more help. They include hiring companions who can visit to aid with boredom management and lessen the likelihood of wandering, as well as assistance with housework and grocery shopping. Contrary to the home health services previously discussed, which provide medical treatment, these services are occasionally known as home care services.
3. Meal Delivery Services
Numerous communities offer meal services if planning meals or keeping a regular eating schedule becomes too challenging. They will deliver a ready-made nutritious meal to your house and help maintain the strength and health of the person. The staff, however, do not feed the person.
According to regional standards, the individual with Alzheimer’s must be eligible for the service. Some organizations offer their services for free, while others could impose a modest fee.
4. Adult Day Care Services
Adult day care services offer a secure environment, enjoyable activities, and staff who are attentive to the needs of the Alzheimer’s patient in an adult day care facility. They additionally offer transportation and can pick up the patient, take them to the day care, and return them home. These services can help you take a much-needed respite.
Many initiatives need private funding, but some organizations, like the government, may have grants or assistance funds available to help. One method to keep your loved one in their home while providing stimulation and attention during the day when you’re not there is via adult day care services. Many seniors get along well with the employees and have a great time at these facilities.
5. Visiting Healthcare Providers
If you find taking your loved one to the hospital or doctor’s office challenging, you can get help for visiting healthcare providers. Many communities have visiting healthcare providers who can visit you at home for an examination and to offer care. Medicare, Medicaid, or your insurance can cover some of these medical services, but other services might only be accessible for a price. You can find out if there are any mobile healthcare providers in your area by searching online or in the phone book.
6. Respite Services
Respite services offer temporary care for Alzheimer’s patients at home, in an adult daycare center, or healthcare facility. The duration could be a few hours or several weeks. These services allow you to take a break from the regular and prevent caregiver burnout.
Respite services may bill by the hour, day, or week. Most insurance plans do not cover the expenses. Medicare, however, will cover a hospice patient’s respite care expenses in a hospital or skilled nursing facility for up to five consecutive days.
7. Facility Options
Although many individuals wish they could keep their loved ones with them at home, for some people, residential care facilities are the best choice. It can be because their loved one needs a lot of care around the clock, their problematic behaviors make it risky for one person to provide care, or Medicaid is the sole funding source for nursing homes.
Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and specialized dementia care units are all possible residential settings for adults with dementia. Depending upon the level of care required, the facilities in your neighborhood, and the financial resources available, you can choose the suitable one.
8. Hospice Care
Your loved one might benefit from hospice care in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. Hospice care is for people nearing the end of their lives who are no longer getting treatment for a fatal illness. Hospice care keeps the dying person in their home or a hospice center as pain-free and pleasant as possible. Additionally, they assist the family by offering end-of-life care. If you choose to start getting curative therapies again, you can terminate hospice care at any time.
Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans Health Administration, or private insurance plans may cover all the hospice expenses. If you receive hospice care in a nursing home or an assisted facility, you may need to pay for the room and all the other costs not covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance.
Since symptoms like memory loss and confusion worsen with Alzheimer’s progression, caregivers will need help. It may seem like asking for assistance implies weakness or a lack of concern, yet the opposite is true. It indicates your strength and awareness of boundaries and when to ask for help. So, dear caregivers, you can consider the care options for your elderly loved ones whenever you feel the need for assistance!
