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.
Learn more
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.
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.
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.
Learn more
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
"On behalf of his sister Connie and myself, we sincerely appreciate the care and attention given to Steven from all the care givers, but especially Brenda. We saw her compassion in action, and wanted to thank her again.
Thank you also for your help in taking care of things, being so responsive and able to assist us during such a trying time. We very much appreciate you too!"
Greg - Client's Brother
Hear What Others Are Saying
"We were referred to them by the VA. They do a super job and they are nice. They are very attentive and helpful. They help him shower and get cleaned up. I can't really handle him very well, so it helps me too. I really like Patricia because she is a cool person. She takes care of my husband by cleaning and giving him breakfast. She cleans the dishes and picks up after him and gives him showers. I know she is really caring and she notices different things about my husband. She gives me ideas about when I need to call a doctor or a nurse. They seem like they are doing the right things to help us. She knows his character and she knows how to handle him. She is always on the happy side."
Rosemary - Client's Wife
Hear What Others Are Saying
"They seem like they're really focused. They stay busy and take care of my loved one very well. I appreciate the fact that they come and help my loved one bathe. They make meals and make sure that they loved one is fed. They assist with keeping the house squared away. It's like having another family member available. She's very open to input and follows directions very well. She's very respectful and she always gives positive output. She does laundry. She takes great care of him. She helps him with all his hygiene. She listens to his war stories, and she is very understanding about his hearing and memory loss. She goes right along with it and takes that in stride. She even soaks his feet. He's a disabled American veteran and had foot injuries in Korea. It really soothes him and makes him feel good when she soaks his feet."
Mary Lou C.
Hear What Others Are Saying
"I like the efficiency and they way the caregivers interact with my loved one. They have helped him the most by providing the services that are needed in the household. They help him with dressing, grooming, and feeding. The caregivers are on time, courteous and polite. They go above and beyond by taking initiative. The caregivers help him with cooking his food. They help by coordinating, ironing and washing his clothes. The caregivers show me that they care by taking care of him. They care about me as well. The office staff calls me to help coordinate the hours and to see if my husband has been home from the hospital or not. They are concerned about his well-being. I appreciate that the caregivers are compassionate."
Christine F.