Residential Care For Alzheimer Disease Patients
Many caregivers eventually find that it is too difficult to continue providing in home care
. When this happens, the person with Alzheimer's will
have to live in a place where care is provided at all hours of the day and night. Two types of residential care are available: assisted living and
skilled nursing facilities.
Assisted living homes are set up in large apartment or hotel-like buildings or as a "board and care"
home for a small group of residents. Each offers a different level of care, but most include meals, recreation, security, and help with bathing,
dressing, medication, and housekeeping. Conversely, skilled nursing facilities include 24-hour services and monitoring. They are able to provide
medical care and rehabilitation for people who are very frail or are going through the later stages of dementia.
Health care providers sometimes provide different levels of care at a single site. This is called a "continuing care community," and it is set up
as two buildings, usually next to each other, to allow for ease of movement between assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Some of these
communities have programs for couples when one spouse is fairly healthy and the other is disabled.
Doctors, friends, relatives, social workers, and religious organizations may be able to help you locate nearby facilities. If you are looking for
a
care giving facility farther away, it may be useful to hire a professional care manager to help you
figure out specific care needs and identify community resources.
Compose a list of questions for the staff of each facility. This might include questions about what is offered at the facilities, such as
activities, transportation, or units specifically for people with Alzheimer's. Contact the residences you are interested in, and make an appointment
to visit. Talk to as many people as possible while you are there, including administration, nursing staff, and residents. Take note of how the
facility is run and how the residents are treated. Dropping by unannounced might also be a good idea to ensure that your first impressions were
correct.
Do some research to determine whether each facility has Alzheimer's-specific programs and services. You may want to ask whether the staff is
trained in dementia care and if the facility allows family participation in planning personal care.
Other things you may want to consider are room availability, cost and payment method, and participation in Medicare or Medicaid. If there is a
waiting list, you may want to put your name on it even if you are not completely ready to make a decision about long-term care. When you do make a
decision, be sure to understand all of the terms of the contract, including the financial agreement. Looking over the documents with a lawyer before
you sign may be helpful.
Relocating will cause a substantial change for the person with Alzheimer's as well as the
caregiver.
Working with a caregiver can help you plan for and adjust to the move. Having a support system is important during this time.
Making visits to people with Alzheimer's is very important, even though they may not remember who the visitors are. The value lies in human
connection and social activity. Some ideas for people who are planning a visit to a person with Alzheimer's disease are the following:
Visit at a time of the day when the person is at his or her best. You may want to bring an activity to do, such as a familiar book
to read or a family photo album to browse, but be prepared to give up the activity if necessary.
Remain calm and quiet. Try not to use a loud tone of voice, and refrain from talking to the person as if he or she were a child. Be
considerate of the person's personal space, and try not to get too close if he or she seems uncomfortable.
Do not argue with the person if he or she is confused. Respond to the feelings being communicated, and subtly distract the person by
bringing up a different topic if necessary.
Try not to take it personally if the person does not recognize you, acts unkindly, or responds angrily. The disease causes confusion that the
person is responding to; it is not your fault. For more details over care giving tips log on to:
www.thecaringspace.comby: Michael Vaughan
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