Elderly Care: What comes to mind when you think about caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s?
You might think about needing to do all of the driving. Cooking meals is another idea. There’s much more to it. Every person with Alzheimer’s will experience the stages at different rates. Some will skip over specific symptoms. Others seem to go through the stages just as self-help books describe them. Having elderly care providers to help get you through this is a great idea.
As the disease progresses, your mom or dad may experience things you didn’t know could happen. Are you prepared for the full extent of what Alzheimer’s brings when it comes to personality and physical changes?
What Happens As Alzheimer’s Progresses?
Depression can be a big part of Alzheimer’s in the early stages. Your parent may talk to things that aren’t there. Sometimes, people with Alzheimer’s seem to go back in age and have regular tantrums if things aren’t going their way. It can be hard to handle emotionally.
Your mom may start responding to your requests with anger and physical violence. You want her to take a shower, but she starts punching and kicking you. When you help her put on a shirt, she bites you.
People with Alzheimer’s don’t always sleep. They may drift off for an hour or two, but they wake up refreshed and ready to be active. Can you survive on an hour of sleep each day? It’s not possible to go days and weeks without a proper amount of sleep.
Elderly Care: Who Is Helping You?
Are you providing your mom’s care by yourself? If you are, it’s essential to take breaks. Being the sole family caregiver 24/7 is exhausting. Even when you’re tired and want to sleep, there’s always the nagging fear that your mom will wake up and try to get outside. If you don’t hear her, would she find her way back home?
This is where it’s important to have someone awake and alert at all hours. You can’t do it all on your own. If you have brothers or sisters nearby, they need to chip in and do their part. If you’re an only child or they live too far to help out, you need to find someone to help out for the majority of the day.
You have to have time to sleep the necessary seven or eight hours you need. You have to have the space to run errands, go out with friends, and get enough exercise. Use professional caregivers to get these breaks.
Don’t delay hiring 24-hour home care. If you think your mom or dad would benefit from having someone in the home all day and night, arranging services is crucial. You need the break, and elderly care makes it possible. Call now.