A Few Challenges Of Living With Dementia
When your senior loved one receives a dementia diagnosis, you can experience a mix of feelings ranging from anxiety to relief. A significant part of your role as a caregiver and advocate will be to understand the disease so that you can plan for their present and future needs. Dementia disorders come with challenges and a need for flexibility. Advanced planning together is important to ensure that your senior loved one is safe and healthy. Some of the challenges of living with dementia as shared by assisted living and memory care facility professionals are discussed below so that you will be able to avoid them.
Wandering
As per the experts in dementia care, people suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia problems will walk without any purpose or wander. Wandering can be a very common challenge throughout the progression of the disease and it can present even in the very early stages of the disease, which may look like your senior loved one getting lost on the way home or in the supermarket. In the middle stages of the disease, wandering can mean roaming unattended in the neighborhood or throughout the house. Whatever be the case, wandering can be unsafe and should be considered seriously.
Check whether your senior loved one has their identification on them at regular intervals. You may also coordinate with family members to take your senior loved one on walks.
Anxiety And Agitation
Agitation and disruption in moods are very common in all stages of dementia. This can significantly affect the capability of your loved one to take part in daily tasks like meal preparation to bathing. You need to be prepared to deal with mood disruptions of your senior loved one and you can candidly discuss with the physician of your loved one when you notice frequent changes. Always keep in mind that mood should never disrupt the daily activities of your senior loved one. When a red flag shows up, it means that it is time to bring in some professional help.
Isolation
People living through the early stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementia disorders mostly understand that they are forgetting things and this can make them feel self-conscious or embarrassed. With the progression of the disease, your senior loved one may not have the skills to make social interactions and this can lead to isolation. Isolation in seniors can result in increased cognitive loss and depression. Therefore, make sure that you are prepared to address isolation problems in your senior loved one with dementia.