Finding out that your aging parent is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease can be one of the most intimidating and life-changing moments that you can experience as a family caregiver. After you have learned of your parent’s diagnosis, you will need to start taking immediate steps to establish care routines, create a care network, and ensure that they are getting the care and assistance that is right for them. One of the most important steps that you will need to take is talking to the rest of the family about your parent’s diagnosis and the journey ahead. Use these tips to help you talk to your family about your senior’s Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis:
• Involve your parent. This your parent’s journey and they should be at the center of it from the very beginning. Make sure that your senior is involved with every conversation that you have and that they are shown respect, honor, and dignity at each point.
• Be honest. This is not a situation that you should “sugarcoat” or try to talk around. It is critical to be upfront and honest with your family about what your parent is facing so that they understand the situation and can be as involved as possible.
• Focus on your parent. Rather than just talking about the disease, talk about your parent. Encourage your family to remember that this is still the person that you all know and love, and that they deserve honor and respect. Encourage them to continue seeing, visiting, talking to, and engaging with your loved one so that they remain an important part of your family’s life.
• Start establishing help. From the very beginning you should make it clear that you will need help caring for your parent. Even if their symptoms are mild now, starting care arrangements now will help to ensure that your parent gets mental stimulation, emotional support, and physical assistance throughout their journey, while also protecting your own health, well-being, and quality of life.
Being a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is living with Alzheimer’s disease can be extremely challenging. Integrating a home care provider into your care routine, however, can make a tremendous difference not only in the care that they receive, but also in your well-being and quality of life as they progress through this disease. A care provider can be in the home with your parent on a customized schedule to ensure that their care needs are fulfilled, even if you are struggling with your own challenges and limitations, a busy schedule, distance, or other issues that keep you from handling all of your parent’s needs. It is vital to remember that, particularly during the moderate to later stages of the disease, it is virtually impossible for one person to manage all of the care for a senior with this condition. The personalized services of an in-home care provider mean that your parent will stay healthy, safe, and comfortable while you have time to focus on your other needs and yourself.
https://alz.org/10-signs-symptoms-alzheimers-dementia.asp
https://www.alz.org/facts/
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Tequesta, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.