Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Cognitive Change
No matter the cause, conditions that result in a change of mood, memory or the thinking process are especially tough. When these are associated with aging, we often call them “Alzheimer’s,” but in reality, Alzheimer’s is just one of many different disorders of the brain.
Caring for a family member or friend with cognitive difficulties is demanding. If you’re doing it by yourself, it’s even tougher. At times, it can feel like you’re battling both the disease and the person. They need a sense of normalcy, but they don’t always act like they want it. Even when you’re doing everything right, it can feel like you’re doing everything wrong. It drains you emotionally and physically.
We believe that it doesn’t have to. Our approach is about helping you reclaim precious moments with your loved one, so instead of worrying about their bad days, you can celebrate their good days. Most of all, we want to be there for both of you so you don't have to do it alone.
Right at Home offers a customized care plan with a combination of personal care, companionship and homemaking, and just as importantly, we can provide respite care for you and your other loved ones.
Feeling Lost?
Let Us Help You Care for Those With Dementia
It can be especially hard to help someone with dementia like Alzheimer’s when the condition is so difficult to understand. In this guide, we’ll give you the basics of what causes dementia, along with some strategies for care.
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Need time for yourself? We’re there for you at any time, anywhere.
Right at Home’s Dementia Guide Video Series
In this collection, gerontologist Diane Darby Beach, Ph.D., will take you through some of the most important details of how cognitive change can progress, so you can be more prepared for whatever the future brings.
Watch the series
Four Ways We Can Help
1. Building Normalcy
Reducing stress for someone with Alzheimer’s means being
consistent. We can help you and your friend or family member create and stick to
a routine, and we can do it in a way that meets their particular needs.
This includes:
This includes:
- Making sure the home feels familiar to them
- Giving them the freedom to move about unrestricted in the home
- Minimizing stresses that can aggravate the symptoms of cognitive change
- Keeping them oriented with daily reminders of time, place and person
2. A Helping Hand
Along with a specialized cognitive care plan, Right at Home caregivers also provide general companionship to your loved one, including helping with daily tasks and protecting them from isolation or loneliness.
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3. Keeping Them on Track
People with dementia may have specific, strict medication regimens. In some cases, this could require the services of a skilled nurse. Fortunately, in some states, many of our caregivers are also trained nurses, so you can rest assured the person’s needs will be met.
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4. Giving You a Break
Since you carry a heavy burden as a caregiver of a person with dementia, it’s important to have a break. We can help with that, too, giving you much-needed rest and time off so you can focus on your own needs.
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The Latest Thinking in Cognitive and Dementia Care
Research into the care and treatment of dementia like Alzheimer’s is constantly growing. Here are some of the latest ideas that have guided our training and care programs.
Hear What Others Are Saying
"My dad had been resistant to home companions in the past so I was very nervous how he would react to the Right at Home staff. They immediately put my worries to rest. They were very gentle and nonthreatening and were able to get my dad up in the morning and take him to his day program even when he didn't want to go. It meant a lot that the homemakers agreed to meet with me prior to their first visit to my dad and I liked reading the visit log the staff filled out each day"
-Cathy
Hear What Others Are Saying
"Dear Ben and Paula,
I want to personally thank you and all of your wonderful staff for the support that you gave to me and my family over the past few years. The quality time, professional care, and kindest that you all bestowed on my beloved father will always be appreciated. I can honestly say that my family and I could have not traveled this road alone, especially during COVID-19. Your aides were not only his caregivers, but friends. They also took me under their wings during his final days. I can still feel their comfort, hugs, smiles, and encouraging words.
Your work is essential to our elderly and the families that they belong to. COVID-19 has isolated our elderly from their loved ones and this can be a very sad to all involved. Please continue your good work. It truly is essential and a benefit to so many. I speak from experience and with gratitude."
-Jackie
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"Ben, Paula and all the staff at Right at Home were professional, skilled, thorough and above all flexible. I did not realize how fluid my elderly mother's situation would be as her disease progressed. They always kept me informed, they were always reachable and they adapted readily to any changes I needed in their time with my mom. Living 1500 miles away from the situation was very difficult but this group gave me peace of mind."
-Korrine
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"I wanted to personally thank you for all the excellent care you have given to my mom, especially over the last two years. We never could have done it without you!
Your aides were compassionate, caring and kind, treating my mom like a family member. We all felt comfortable leaving Mom in their care. Special thanks to Chelsea, who honored our many requests and schedule changes, to Glenda, who picked up extra shifts to help us out, and especially to LeAnn, whose gentle demeanor and caring ways made Mom feel special and cared for.
Transferring Mom to Fellowship Manor was a difficult decision for all of us. Without your help, we would have done it earlier. We feel blessed that we were able to keep her at home for the past two years.
Thank you again for your excellent care."
- Laura F.
Hear What Others Are Saying
"Can't recommend a better service. Our caregiver does a great job. We find Right at Home almost like family. We don't feel like the caregivers are strangers. They are great helpers, multi-talented cooks, cleaners and drivers. They are versatile and they match the skills to my needs. They make me feel like the most important person in the house"
-Patricia