The Changing Needs of a Person with Alzheimer’s

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, a person’s needs change and it is important to recognize and address those changes with appropriate care. Along with meeting basic needs, experts say care providers should treat the whole person by creating an environment that allows them to feel independent and safe. The Alzheimer’s Association says determining the best care options can be tough, and offers some advice on how to ensure the person has the services, programs, and persons in place for an essential quality of life. 

The first step to any decision regarding Alzheimer's care is to honestly evaluate your loved one’s needs. Also to whatever degree possible, it is recommended you include them in any decisions. Another thing to remember is during the early stages of the disease the person may be able to live independently but in the middle stages, 24-hour supervision is needed. Additionally around-the-clock care is much more intensive in the later and end stages.    

Primary points to consider include safety especially in terms of unsupervised cooking, or if the person has a tenacity to wander or needs help with medications. Does the person have medical conditions that need monitoring such as diabetes or mobility issues? Other problems that may demand more professional care includes a person becoming aggressive or needing help with the ADLs (activities of daily living). Finally consider if the person would benefit from more social interactions and activities. 

If you live around the San Jose area, we invite you to take a look at the new MorningStar Memory Care at West Valley. While new to the community, we have several dozen senior living communities across the Western US including the up and coming MorningStar of San Jose. Our holistic approach to memory care starts with creating an Individualized Service Plan to address personal needs and provide a gentle flow of daily activities to calm or stimulate. We invite you to visit our website for more information and to talk to our team about our memory care facility. 

We will open to residents in the third quarter of 2022 and encourage you to reserve a select suite today. Also be sure to inquire about our Founders Club Specials.

Source: alz.org/help-support/caregiving/care-options/choosing-care-providers