Alzheimer’s is a disease, and dementia is an umbrella term for an array of symptoms. Oftentimes Alzheimer’s and dementia are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Alzheimer’s is an incurable disease that includes symptoms of dementia such as cognitive impairment, memory loss, and speech impairment. In addition to symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer’s hallmark is the presence of aggressive behavior, personality changes, and cognitive confusion, among many other symptoms. Dementia symptoms are also present in other diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Regardless of what type of dementia your elderly loved one may have, there is help.
Live-In Care for the Elderly
The need for 24-hour in-home care is growing at an exponential rate. Many family caregivers carry the burden alone. Women are cutting back on work hours, and if they are single moms or divorced mothers with full-time jobs, adding the responsibility of elder care to their plate is simply overwhelming.
Most people don’t think about elder care planning until it’s too late. Perhaps your parents are in good health now, and elder care won’t cross your mind for another 15 or 20 years. In most cases, people don’t like going to the doctor’s unless they absolutely need to, and if your parents are in that category, they may not be aware of illnesses that are creeping up on them right now. Do your parents watch what they eat? Do they exercise regularly, or do they work too much? Do they have high-stress jobs that could potentially put them at risk for a heart attack or stroke? If your parents face constant pressure each day at their jobs and they are only a few years away from retirement, do you have a written long-term care (LTC) plan in place in case of an event? A-1 Home Care’s experienced and professional advisors have been helping families for over two decades. They’d be a great resource if you’re unsure where to start.
What is a long-term care plan?
A written long-term care plan is part of life resource planning that is often overlooked by families. It involves meetings with family members, the elderly loved one’s health care team, attorneys, caregivers, and other involved individuals in the planning of a senior’s future, such as estate planning, long-term care, 24-hour care, hospice care, and more. Long-term care plans aren’t just for seniors; if you have young children or adult sons/daughters with disabilities, this type of planning includes care for them in the event that something happens to you. A-1 Home Care’s seasoned care managers will help you examine all the issues that must be considered when producing a care plan for your elderly loved ones.
