Caregivers in Palm Beach County FL
Finding out that your aging parent has Alzheimer’s disease can be a somewhat startling moment in your life with them. Whether you have been a caregiver for them before or this is the moment when the need for you to care for them becomes obvious, much of what you had in mind regarding their future and the future of the care and support that you would give to them is likely to change. When you find yourself in this moment it is important to realize that you are at a critical juncture. You are not just looking at the future of a progressive disease. You are at the beginning of a journey that can go in many different directions depending on the choices that you make and the care efforts that you give. Taking this early stage to start planning your parent’s care can give both of you greater confidence and peace of mind as you start this new chapter together. Benefits to planning care early in your parent’s progression through Alzheimer’s disease include:• Intact cognitive functioning. Most elderly adults are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when they are still in an early stage. This means that their cognitive functioning has only been slightly, if at all, impacted by the dementia. The fact that your parent is still at a good state of cognitive functioning means that they are still able to understand what is happening and the options that they have regarding their future care and management. This ensures that they make the decisions that are right for them.
• Bonding your efforts. Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can be extremely upsetting for your parent. They might immediately feel isolated and helpless, or as though they are out on a limb all by themselves. By starting to talk about the future of their care early you are showing them that you are there for them, and that you want to give them the type of care that is right for them. This is a bonding experience and helps them to feel more confident moving forward.
• Preparing your resources. When you know the type of care that you will need to give to your aging parent as they progress through their condition, you are better able to prepare your personal resources for handling this care. This means that you are able to start thinking of things like how you will pay for home care if your parent is open to professional care, how you will manage your career as the time requirements of your care increase, and what you will need to do to make sure that the other people who rely on you, such as your children and your partner, still have everything that they need. Planning early also helps you to consider things such as whether your parent might at some point transition into your home to receive more attentive care, or if you might start hospice care for them in the later stages of the disease.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Palm Beach County, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.