If you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is living with Alzheimer's disease, it is extremely important that you prepare yourself for the challenges that your parent will face during each stage of the disease. The progressive nature of the disease means that your parent will experience increased difficulties and symptoms as time passes, requiring you to alter and adjust your care efforts to ensure that these needs are managed properly. Preparing yourself for the challenges that your parent will face can also help to guard you from mental and emotional health difficulties that arise from these challenges. One issue that arises during the middle stage of Alzheimer's disease that tends to be particularly difficult for both the person suffering the disease and the caregiver is increased communication challenges. These issues can make it harder to interact with your parent and create frustration for both of you. Preparing for these challenges, however, can enable you to put measures into place to better cope with these issues as they arise.
Some of the communication challenges that might arise during the middle stage of Alzheimer's disease include:
- Feeling as though they cannot find the right word when they are having a conversation
- Repeating the same word over and over, or using a more limited vocabulary
- Using descriptions for items rather than using the proper word for them
- Not being able to maintain a train of thought consistently
- If your parent speaks multiple languages, they may blend these languages or revert to a language they spoke
- when they were a child without realizing it
- Not speaking as much as they used to
- Using their hands more often to communicate what they want to say
- Using nonsense words or sounds to replace words
- Not being able to accurately answer questions or follow a conversation effectively
If you have been looking for ways to enhance your aging parent's quality of life and ensure that they are getting everything that they need as they age in place, starting elderly care for them may be the ideal solution. An elderly home care services provider can be with your aging loved one on a customized schedule that works for them. This means that they will have access to ongoing care, support, and assistance, but you can continue to give them all of the care that you are able and willing to give them. Through a set of highly personalized services, this care provider will help your parent to address their individual needs, challenges, and limitations while also encouraging them to maintain a lifestyle that is as healthy, independent, safe, comfortable, active, and fulfilling as possible throughout their later years. These services can be particularly valuable if your senior is living with health issues and challenges, such as Alzheimer's disease, that require care and assistance on a regular basis.
www.alz.org
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED-ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING IN-HOME ELDERLY CARE IN OLD TOWN, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE CHICAGO. CALL TODAY: 312.382.8888.