“As we walked into the Alzheimer’s care facility to decide if this was the right place for my grandma, we noticed all the recliners were ‘out of date,’ though not necessarily shabby. The employee giving us the tour explained that because Alzheimer’s patients tend to reside cognitively in the past, older items seem more familiar than modern, up-to-date items.”
You still may not be comfortable with a facility that has older furnishings. After all, most of us want the very best for the loved ones who once took care of us. But there is truth in what that facility’s employee said. As Alzheimer’s disease advances, the person eventually does not live in the present. Depending on the severity of their Alzheimer’s, the senior may have moments of cognition, but those moments usually pass quickly.
Alzheimer’s Warps the Sense of Time
“When we visited my grandma, she was never in the present. During one visit, she affected a child-like voice and told her grandson that ‘Mama wouldn’t like his tattoos!’ She definitely thought she still lived at home with her parents. During the same visit, she told us that her husband (our grandpa) was out cutting down the oak tree. He had been a logger when they were very first married. Before we left she told us that she had been watching for us out the window. She hadn’t been, but that is what she used to do when we would visit them prior to her Alzheimer’s, so there was some realization of who we were. During the visit, she went from a child to a young adult of about twenty to then having a memory of us visiting when she was in her later years. But, she never joined us in the present. Still, it was so good to be with her and she was so happy we came.”
Because of their cognitive existence in the past, it is important to keep familiar things around for your loved one with Alzheimer’s. If you let them stay in their home, then you can keep it exactly how it is, no matter how outdated it may seem to you. Now is not the time for a renovation! In the event that you place them in an Alzheimer’s care facility, they are allowed to bring some personal effects. If you can bring any furniture, even something as simple as one chair, then do it. If not, bring other things that are important to your loved one. Put up family photos. Even if they can’t remember who the people in the photos are, having the photos up will let them know that they DO have a family that loves them.
Home Health Alzheimer’s Care
You may not be able to afford an Alzheimer’s care facility for your loved one. They can be extremely costly. However, your insurance or your elderly loved one’s insurance may allow for home health care. This is where we come in! Champion Home Health Care makes sure that our caregivers have specific training in caring for those with memory loss and dementia, along with their other certifications and licenses. You can rest assured that your loved one will be cared for with the utmost of professionalism and compassion by our senior helpers in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. Whether they only need to be checked on a couple of times a day or have moved on to needing 24-hour skilled nursing care, we have trained caregivers to meet their needs. If your senior loved one is in the South Florida area, then please give us a call today!
