Watching your parent age as you are an adult yourself can be a bittersweet thing. If they are aging it means you’re lucky enough to still have them in your life, even as an adult yourself, but it also means you will likely see their health change and decline over the years.
For many seniors their golden years mean they slow down a bit, perhaps deal with some chronic but manageable issues and hopefully remain healthy. Unfortunately, for others, their health issues can have a huge impact on their lifestyle and require more hands-on assistance. This is certainly the case for seniors who are living with Alzheimer’s disease. If your parent has been recently diagnosed and you’re wondering what changes should be made to their life, here are some steps you can take.
Learn About Alzheimer’s
The first step to helping your parent is to learn what Alzheimer’s disease is. You’ll want to learn all about the symptoms, the effects it has on the person, how they may be feeling, what the prognosis is and so forth. You can do research online and speak to their doctor. It’s wise to also include your parent in as much conversation as possible so they are aware of what’s happening with their health. You also want to be sure the lines of communication are open, and that you encourage your parent to ask questions and talk about their feelings.
Plan In-Home Care for Your Parent
Increasing how often you visit your parent will also be wise. If you have grown siblings perhaps you can create a schedule so that your parent gets as much help as possible. In-home care can also be useful, and even setting up delivery services to help with other needs. These tips are ideal if your parent is showing very few symptoms and is still relatively independent.
Some other tasks you can help with include:
- House chores (inside and outside)
- Running errands
- Grocery shopping
- Making meals
- Driving them to appointments
Help Them Stick to a Daily Schedule
A daily schedule is extremely helpful for those with Alzheimer’s. You can write out a schedule on a whiteboard that is easy to spot and follow. You can provide a daily and weekly schedule that they can refer to.
Related Info: whiteboard
Look Into an Assisted Living Facility with Memory Care
While they may be in the early signs of Alzheimer’s right now and are coping relatively well, unfortunately it is a progressive disease. If things start to change quickly and their health and ability to care for themselves deteriorate, then an assisted living facility is often a good option. Be sure to look for one that doesn’t just offer support and care, but also specializes in memory care.
Memory care tends to include specific daily memory therapies. There will be 24-hour Alzheimer’s specific care, physical and cognitive activities meant for them, and more. Parc Provence is a facility you can look into and learn more about what memory care entails.
There’s no doubt that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be extremely stressful and cause a lot of upheaval in your parent’s life. Being there to offer support and assistance during the adjustment period will be important.