Alzheimer’s disease: home or care facility

November 6, 4:33 PMSouth Bend Elder Care ExaminerPamela Weaver Hansen

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Understanding when a person with Dementia or Alzheimer needs more than you can offer can be a tough realization. You need to take care of yourself physically and emotionally in order to properly care for your loved one. You need to know you are not failing them in any way, but actually showing love, by getting them the proper help they may require.
Some families opt to hire part time caregivers, round-the-clock home care provider or an adult daycare. All of these options will more than likely be an out-of-pocket expense for the family. So then you have to ask, “can I afford this and is this better than a Dementia facility?”
Trudy Brock, whose husband has Alzheimer, remembers telling her daughter, “I can’t do it anymore,” then the next day said “yeah I can do it, it’s okay.” Trudy said she fluctuated back & forth for several months as it was a hard decision to make.
But ultimately she knew it was the right decision to place Art in a facility. After the relief of making that big decision is over, a new decision has to be made. What kind of facility is the right facility? There are nursing homes with Alzheimer units; there are Dementia only facilities or group homes.

There are 3 things to know that will help you understand and determine when it’s time to go to the next step.
Behavior of the patient
If they are able to use the toilet
Burn out of the caregiver

Trudy said ” My daughter and I visited many different places over a year ahead of time so we’d be educated and ready when the time came.” she continued, “You need to do your homework ahead of time.”

A quote Trudy said she has heard several times at support meetings sums it up the best. “The biggest mistake I’ve made was waiting too long to place him/her in a facility.”

Don’t become the next statistic. If your loved one has the start of dementia, start looking at your options. Be prepared for what might become your future.

In the Indianapolis Area, see a place for mom