Once a parent or senior loved one is diagnosed with dementia, it’s only a matter of time until the topic of specialized home care comes up. As a deteriorating condition, dementia worsens over time and as the disease progresses, your loved one will eventually need full-time care and supervision.
Even if you’re ready to put up with the demands of caring for a dementia patient, there will come a time when your loved one’s primary care is best left to the professional.
At Miami Valley Homecare, we offer dementia home care in the Miami Valley, OH area. We understand the challenges that care for dementia patients pose. If you’re not sure when to consider dementia home care for your sick loved one, here are four telltale signs to keep an eye out for.
Have you noticed moments when your loved one walks around and suddenly gets confused about their location? Do they often walk in the middle of the night only to ask where they are or how they got there? These could be signs of wandering which poses a great risk to your loved one’s safety.
Wandering can leave seniors in dangerous situations since they could get lost, taken advantage of, harmed, or get exposed to harsh weather.
At Miami Valley Homecare, our home care providers are professionally trained to keep an eye on your loved ones round the clock to ensure their safety and to help them with anything they need.
Do you find yourself worrying about your loved one’s safety all the time? It’s normal to be concerned, but when you start seeing signs of possible risks to their safety, it might be time to consider dementia home care.
As dementia progresses, your senior loved one can unknowingly put themselves in harm’s way. For instance, they could turn on the gas stove and forget to turn it off. They could slip in the bathroom and hurt themselves. There’s no telling what can happen if you leave them all to themselves.
More than their own physical safety, people with dementia can sometimes tend to be violent. They could end up hurting other people, including you, even if they don’t want to. Dementia home care can provide a safe environment to keep your loved one secure and comfortable.
People with dementia often have trouble remembering several things including personal hygiene. When was the last time that your loved one combed his or her hair? Took a bath? Clipped their nails? Have you noticed a decline in their physical appearance?
If you know your loved one’s personal care habits, check also if they have stopped doing these things such as getting their hair colored, brushing their teeth, and applying lotion, among others.
Deterioration in personal hygiene and care is a sure sign that your loved one needs dementia home care. Apart from the mess, letting your loved one continue neglecting personal care and hygiene could also put them at risk of other health conditions.
Pay attention to your loved one’s living conditions. Is mail piling up? Is there enough food in the pantry? Is there spoiled food in the fridge or kitchen? Are dirty dishes piling up in the sink?
How about the home’s condition? Is there a leak in the roof? Is the lawn mowed? Are the linens and sheets often dirty?
If you answer yes to any or all of these questions, it may be time to consider dementia home care. A cluttered, unkempt home is a huge safety risk. Your loved one could trip over something and hurt themselves.
At Miami Valley Homecare, our dementia home care providers can keep your loved one’s living space clean and orderly. They will also assist with daily activities like meal preparation and feeding.
Unsure if it’s time to get your loved one dementia home care services? Our team at Miami Valley Homecare can provide a free assessment so you know what home care assistance option is right for your loved one.
Our professional home care providers are trained and experienced to care for seniors with various medical conditions. We serve residents across Ohio, including Centerville, Kettering, Xenia, Beavercreek, Fairborn, Oakwood, and Dayton.
Set up an appointment today by calling 937-671-2273 or by filling out our contact form. You can also reach us via email at gdixon@miamivalleyhomecare.net.
