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When is it Time for Memory Care? Key Signs
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Navigating a loved one’s dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be stressful and emotionally taxing. Providing care for your parent with dementia is a profound act of love, but sometimes it can become overwhelming. So, when is it time for memory care? The right time for memory care may be sooner than you think.
At The Lodge at Pine Creek in Baytown, we are dedicated care partners that ensure your loved one receives top-notch care while retaining their dignity. Explore this expert-approved guide to discover the early signs of dementia that indicate your loved one would benefit from professional memory care.
What Is Memory Care?
Memory care is a specialized form of long-term care. Memory care communities provide a safe living environment for senior citizens with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other memory-related disorders. The staff at memory care communities are specially trained to provide a stable atmosphere where your loved one can find purpose and joy in this new chapter of their life. While in Memory Care, your loved one can expect,
- 24-hour supervised, professional care.
- Private or semi-private accommodations featuring a homey living space.
- Three nourishing meals and snacks every day.
- Professional medication management.
- Assistance with challenging daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
- Cognitive and physical therapy.
- Specialized fitness programs for elderly residents.
- Exciting and structured social activities.
- Housekeeping and laundry services.
When Is it Time for Memory Care? Understanding the Warning Signs
Recognizing and understanding the signs of dementia is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of a loved one. As dementia progresses, caregivers who find themselves overwhelmed may start asking, “When is it time for memory care?” When your loved ones’ care needs begin to surpass what you are capable of providing, it is time to consider your options. While every person is different, there are common indicators to be aware of.
Declining Physical Health and Hygiene
The ever-increasing amount of care tasks you have to assist your parent with may have you wondering, “When is it time for memory care?”. When you begin to see a decline in your dementia parents’ physical health and hygiene, it may be the right time for memory care. Signs of declining physical health and hygiene that require professional support include,
- Changes in sleep cycles.
- Sudden changes in body composition, like an individual becoming thinner or frail.
- Ignoring personal hygiene and neglecting grooming habits.
- Regularly struggling to bathe and get dressed.
- Shakiness and fall hazards.
It is important to remember that memory issues often co-exist with other physical concerns like diabetes, heart failure, or infections. Partnering with a memory care team can help your dementia parent remain healthy no matter the preexisting health conditions.
Behavior Changes
Besides declining physical health, certain cognitive behaviors are signs it’s time for memory care for your loved one. When is it time for memory care? The answer depends on each individual’s needs, but increased forgetfulness and disorientation are key behavioral indicators. Some other common behavioral changes may include:
- Aggression and agitation. Confusion, anger, agitation, and aggression are likely to turn into violence.
- Social withdrawal. Parents with dementia may avoid family, friends, and invitations to social activities due to declining communication skills.
- Confusion and disorientation. Experiencing frequent confusion, like forgetting where they are or what day it is, can be distressing for your loved one.
- Recurring short-term memory loss. Serious incidences of memory loss: your loved ones may forget to take medications or forget the names of their friends, which means it is time to consider memory care.
- Paranoia or mistrust toward others.
Memory care programs are expertly designed to provide stability and familiarity, which helps your loved one navigate these behavioral changes. Medical professionals can help families determine when it is time for memory care by assessing cognitive decline and daily functioning.
Difficulty With Daily Routine
As dementia progresses, individuals become incapable of performing many daily tasks on their own, leaving their care partners wondering when it is time for memory care. This is a broad statement, but knowing it’s the right time for memory care often comes with some typical warning signs, such as,
- Not paying bills.
- Unopened mail.
- A dirty, unkept, or cluttered home.
- Inability to cook meals or feed themselves.
- Failure to dress appropriately for the weather
- Missing meals and forgetting to drink water.
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These are just a few common situations in which your loved one with dementia may need help as their memory issues progress. If you can’t take over these tasks, memory care provides a great solution for keeping your parent safe and healthy.
Living Conditions are Unsafe
Bringing up safety concerns is an important way to make family members aware of behaviors that could necessitate memory care. If you have found yourself struggling with deciding when it is time for memory care, there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help you make a decision. Questions to help you assess dementia safety risks at home include,
- Is your elderly loved one leaving burners or appliances on after cooking?
- Are they misusing or improperly storing household chemicals?
- Are there any fall hazards in the home?
- Is a household pet being cared for properly?
- Have they experienced a hospital stay or emergency room visit lately?
- Does your loved one have any unexplained bruises or injuries they don’t remember getting?
- Has walking or getting lost put your loved one in a dangerous situation?
- Do they need help taking medications on the recommended schedule?
- Do they have spoiled food in their fridge or pantry?
If you discover your loved one is living with multiple hazards in their house, this is one of the signs that it’s time for memory care. Consider moving your loved one to a memory care facility to ensure their long-term safety and well-being.
Increased Difficulty in Caregiving
When contemplating when it is time for memory care, it is important to consider the best interests of both your parent and your family as a whole. If the increasing responsibilities and duties of being a care partner have become a major stressor for the family, this could be a sign to seek out a professional memory care community. There are many reasons memory care living is the best option for a family including,
- Care partner deterioration or death.
- Demanding careers or job changes.
- Other adults or young children who also need care.
- Lack of family support as the sole care partner.
- Increasing financial strain or hardship.
If you are dealing with any of the above circumstances, it may be the right time for memory care to ensure a more fulfilling, stress-free life for the whole family.
Give Your Loved Ones the Care They Deserve
Recognizing the medical signs that your loved one needs memory care is a difficult but essential step toward providing safety and well-being. Answering the question: “When is it time for memory care?” doesn’t have to be something you navigate on your own.
At The Lodge at Pine Creek Senior Living, we offer specialized memory care designed to meet the unique needs of people with dementia while providing families with the valuable resources and compassionate support they need. Schedule a personal tour today to learn how we can help your family along on this journey.