Care Options for Alzheimer's Patients

In-home Care Options

Professional caregiver services

Regarding professional caregiver services, those living with Alzheimer's often get to a point where they require some form of professional help. There is an array of care options, some of which are viable; others, though, are not recommended for an Alzheimer's patient. There are generally found in two different settings, in-home care and out-of-home care. Professional caregivers can help a person living with Alzheimer's with daily activities such as bathing, eating, and grooming. These caregivers can also provide social support to the person living with dementia, which is beneficial to their overall well-being. There are generally certified nursing assistants who are not nurses but can perform certain medical tasks and home health aides who provide personal care and housekeeping assistance. The differences between these two roles are limited but vary in terms of what each professional is qualified to do -- CNAs can provide medication services, while HHA cannot, for example.

Home healthcare agencies

These are agencies that can provide a wide range of helpful services for your loved one. This can include nursing care, homemaker services, and therapists. Typically, these people come in for short periods at a time, about a few hours a week. The types of people that come in can include licensed practical nurses, home health aides, and medical social workers. This can also help give the primary caregiver peace of mind and time to take a break and take care of themselves as well. These types of agencies can cater to the needs of individuals with Alzheimer's; this is because the caregivers are specially trained to look after such individuals. These caregivers also do not do any medical duties because they should have a licensed practical nurse coming in for that task. The tasks that these workers usually do are the following: bathing assistance, dressing assistance, assisting he with getting from one place to another, meal preparation, and assisting with things like taking medications and colostomy care.

Adult day care programs

This kind of daycare service is primarily for those individuals with disabilities who are not in a position to stay alone at their residence all day while their caregivers are at work or whenever they need time for themselves. At adult daycare centers, lots of exercise, socialization, and even therapy sessions are involved in order to promote better mental and body function in their guests. Adult daycare centers provide supervised activities, social interactions, educational outlets, meals, therapy, medical services, and a warm and welcoming environment for the elderly and those with severe mental and physical disabilities. Caregivers whose old relatives or family members get enrolled in such programs can be ensured of a certain level of sanity and happiness around them. Adult daycare is suited for individuals with mild to severe mental disabilities who need to be kept busy all day via a series of ongoing activities and therapy. Economic and social inhibitions for entry into such programs are minimal, like in other facilities, and in addition, since the service is not residential, parents and guardians are free to pick up their respective kids or relatives on their way back from work and do other daily chores.

Respite care services

Respite care services are another type of in-home care option, but they are significantly more temporary than ongoing. This type of care is designed to help give the primary caregiver a break from their duties or simply provide coverage when the primary caregiver cannot be there. Professional caregivers, home health care agencies, or through adult day care programs can provide respite care services. The type of care provided can include skilled care, personal care, companionship, homemaking, supervision, and more. There are a few important things to know about respite care services that can make them easy, affordable, and beneficial to use.

Assisted Living Facilities

Memory care units

Memory care units are individualized healthcare programs designed to support patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease who have been suffering from memory loss. Memory care units are unique in that they offer a wide range of choices adapted to those struggling with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Individuals who stay in memory care units are given 24-hour supervision and access to medical and non-medical staff experienced in dementia management. Additionally, memory care units usually provide structured events and relaxing environments for patients.

24-hour supervision and support

There are some assisted living facilities that are ideal for Alzheimer's patients. Most of the assisted living facilities have services that are ideal for Alzheimer's patients. Some of them include 24-hour supervision and support, social activities and engagement, as well as medication management. During the late stages of Alzheimer's disease, the need for 24-hour care with 24-hour supervision and support is required. Some assisted living facilities have the right support and supervision that is required by patients with Alzheimer's disease. The Common services include help with daily living activities, which include meals, bathing, dressing, grooming, and also medication management. The personnel in assisted living facilities are trained to understand the needs of a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. They also understand the need for patience and use different techniques to deal with the symptoms.

Social activities and engagement

A social engagement program is an integral part of any program that deals with Alzheimer's patients; the two primary reasons for this are;

Instilling a sense of participation and providing cognitive stimulation. The patient is involved in arts and crafts, gardening, cooking, exercise and outings, and brain-stimulating games such as charades, trivia, name that tune, art appreciation, and story-telling. All this provides activities for the patient that are meaningful and enjoyable. It also offers respite and education to the family member or friend involved in the patient's daily care. It fosters a support system and shared understanding between and among the patients' families. When patients attend with a caregiver, it also provides a setting for experiential learning. The participant's family member or caregiver attending the program learns practical skills and can also share personal workarounds and coping strategies that create a forum of shared experiences.

Medication management

People mention that medication can possibly be prescribed to help manage some signs and symptoms. In these cases, doctors who specialize in treating individuals with Alzheimer's often recommend medications called cholinesterase inhibitors, for example, donepezil, rivastigmine, as well as galantamine. These drugs are prescribed to treat symptoms and signs related to memory, thinking, language, and judgment, to name a few, and are usually well tolerated. Also, for Alzheimer's disease, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a prescription drug called memantine. This drug is prescribed to alleviate specific symptoms connected to Alzheimer's disease.

Skilled Nursing Facilities

Specialized Alzheimer's care units

These units, also called memory care units, maybe a wing of a nursing home or a separate facility. Each facility is different, but all should have more staff on duty than a regular nursing home. The staff has been educated about all the behaviors and stages of the disease and is much more knowledgeable about how to care for patients in the best way. More activities that are appropriate for the individuals to participate in should be available. These units have locked doors so that the patients cannot wander out. Each person in the unit is wearing a bracelet or anklet, so in case they do get out, they can be located using a special locator. This type of unit is good for people whose behaviors are difficult to manage at home or whose caregiver can no longer care for them. It is very important to find out what their policies are when certain behaviors that are dangerous enter the picture when considering this type of care.

Rehabilitation services

In these facilities, they can start and maintain occupational and physical therapy programs, music therapy programs, and even group art activities. Collaborating with an art therapist because the idea that art and music are connected to memory can benefit dementia patients socially, emotionally, and physically. Because of the potential for music and art to deepen connections and interactions, this is a fun activity to do with caregivers as part of memory day treatment programs and hobby clubs. There are three best practices when incorporating music and art into memory care communities: Keep instruments, mini-cd players with headphones, and art supplies easily accessible.

Medical supervision and monitoring

Alzheimer's disease patients, as the disease progresses, can experience an increased amount of destructive changes within their brain, such as reduced nerve and damaged cell tissue or larger swollen ventricles in the brain. Nonetheless, the medical professional team that the patient has visited will likely need to perform new scans as the disease advances to monitor the activity of the disease within the patient's brain and adjust the patient's medications accordingly. Lastly, if the greatness of the patient's medication and treatment plan changes and becomes difficult or causes more issues, then the family should not hesitate to contact the specialists and ask for a quicker appointment with a specialist.

Physical and occupational therapy

Both occupational and physical therapies can provide essential benefits for Alzheimer's patients. It is prevalent for those with Alzheimer's disease to suffer from severe balance and coordination problems, as well as muscle weakness. However, regular exercise and activity have been proven to benefit physical well-being in those with Alzheimer's greatly. Regular exercise has been shown to simply slow down the process of Alzheimer's, as well as decrease the overall number of falls. Studies have also shown that regular exercise tends to act as an anger and frustration outlet for those with Alzheimer's and oftentimes makes them feel much calmer and relaxed. Regular physical and occupational therapy can also help those with Alzheimer's disease perform everyday tasks that they had previously been unable to do, making them feel more independent and confident in doing so. These therapies typically involve light stretching and low-impact aerobics and have medical experts present to ensure that no injuries occur.

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