Assisted Living for Dementia Patients: Knowing the Right Time

Early dementia signs are often mistaken for forgetfulness. We've all lost our keys and mixed up the names of family members. Yet when that persists and more signs develop, it can feel like a worrying time for relatives.

If you are concerned about a loved one and dementia symptoms, read on. This guide will walk you through some early signs that it's time to consider assisted living for dementia patients in Des Moines, IA, as a solution.

More Frequent Care Needs

Dementia is progressive. It means that, over time, care needs will begin to increase.

When you see an escalation here, it's time to consider dementia care options. That might increase the help required for simple everyday tasks such as dressing, showering, or bathing.

Family members may need to take an increasingly active role in supporting an elderly person. That's a sign that assisted living could be a better long-term solution.

That's because assisted living offers 24/7 support. It eases the dependency on the family to be available around the clock on top of their other life demands.

For patients, this means getting the care and dignity they need while maintaining as much independence as possible.

Safety Concerns and Signs for Assisted Living

One of the most important reasons for moving to assisted living is to create a safe environment for dementia patients.

A progressive condition that affects memory and cognitive abilities can leave people in unsafe situations. For example, they may forget to turn off the stove, creating a potential fire hazard.

The person could be at risk from environmental hazards, like falling down a stairwell.

All this could leave an elderly person with injuries and hospital visits. These create long-term health issues and prolonged recovery time, especially for frail bodies.

Moving a dementia patient to a safe assisted community takes the worry away from relatives. They won't dread an unwelcome call from a hospital about an accident.

Increasing Healthcare Needs

Healthcare management becomes more challenging for patients with dementia. That person may often have other health issues that require medication and care.

Remembering to take tablets and monitor a condition is complex. It requires the support of outsiders, a responsibility that commonly falls on close family members.

However, caregiving for dementia patients also poses challenges. This means that relatives often have to coordinate with one another. They'll need to manage complex information, such as whether or not medication is up-to-date.

That can usually become more fraught with difficulty to the point where it poses a risk to the patient. And that's where assisted living might be the most sensible and safest option.

Family and Caregiver Stress

If you aren't a professional caregiver, you take on a significant responsibility when helping a family member.

It often means juggling many demands around other priorities in your life, which can create stress for you and others around you. It might even lead to disagreements between family members.

Prolonged stressful situations are difficult to manage and can put added pressure on those care demands.

Lack of sleep, for example, could make it harder to remember medication routines. Physical exhaustion could make it difficult to help a relative in and out of the bath and get dressed.

Consider senior living decisions to help ease those understandable stresses and strains on the family.

Lack of Social Interaction

When someone begins to experience dementia, they may become more socially withdrawn. It becomes harder to arrange social activities and have the independence to leave their homes.

That can complicate life, accelerating cognitive decline and reducing communication skills because of a lack of interaction.

Assisted living is the perfect antidote to that, creating a safe environment that promotes social living. It reduces the risks associated with isolation and gives dementia patients the support and friendship they need.

It can help enhance the quality of life while helping someone with dementia strengthen those cognitive skills through simple events like games or quiz nights with other residents.

Changes to a Person's Behavior

Notable changes to a person's behavior in the early stages of dementia can be a signal that it's time to look at the support of an assisted living community. Look for signs such as agitation, confusion, or sometimes aggression.

Behavioral changes can often be challenging for family members, who may need to lean on more specialized and experienced support.

Trained professionals in dementia support services have experience handling complex behaviors. They can create a calmer situation, reduce outbursts, and help patients avoid triggers.

The transition into assisted living can help staff get to know the patient and develop a practical care plan to handle these situations.

Changes to the Home

When someone is experiencing more severe symptoms of dementia, the signs are often there in the upkeep of their home. It may prove more challenging to clean and organize a house.

The elderly person may seem surrounded by a disordered environment, lose things readily, and lack an understanding of what they need to do to make the house livable and sanitary.

That's a signal that it's time to speak to an assisted living community about providing that person with more day-to-day support.

Moving into an environment that others look after means a person can enjoy a better quality of life.

They'll be surrounded by treasured possessions, a clean and sanitary home, and orderly storage, making it easier to regain independence and enjoy life to the fullest.