It's often taken for granted that if someone receives an Alzheimer's diagnosis or a diagnosis of another related dementia, they have no choice but to move into a nursing home or receive around-the-clock home care. After all, someone with cognitive decline can't continue to reside at home, mainly when they live alone – or is it?
Research shows that many of us will have to consider this for an aging loved one or even for ourselves one day. Approximately 14 million older adults live at home alone – 33% with dementia and 15% specifically with Alzheimer's disease. Even more troubling, half of this population not just lives alone but has no identified care provider.
There is a multitude of concerns for an aging loved one who wants to live alone with dementia, including:
Heightened susceptibility to exploitation and senior scams
The ability to manage activities of daily living on their own, for example, meals, personal hygiene, household management, and problem-solving
The isolation that arises from a concern with unfamiliar places and situations as confusion increases
Yet we also know that remaining at home throughout aging for someone with Alzheimer's provides numerous positive benefits, including:
The ability to keep regular routines, making life navigation easier
The convenience of familiar surroundings and belongings offers stability
Self-identity comes through preserving a feeling of belonging
Introducing a specially trained dementia caregiver who can provide the ideal amount of support to promote as much freedom and independence as possible while ensuring safety and well-being is a viable option to allow seniors to live alone with dementia.
The sooner you can integrate a dementia caregiver into the life of an aging adult who has dementia, the better. Even in the very earliest stages of the condition, the progression can occur quickly, at which time the transition to care would have to happen as soon as possible. By starting slowly with only a tiny amount of assistance, perhaps with meals, housework, and laundry, you can work up to an increased level of care as quickly as needed.
At Modern Health Home Care, we establish a personalized care plan reviewed and modified as needed. So, whether the need is for just a couple of hours every week of assistance or full-time, 24/7 care, we can help seniors continue to live at home for a lifetime.
Our professionally trained Alzheimer's care team can ensure safety and comfort throughout each stage of the condition, easing challenges such as:
Aggression
Wandering
Frustration
Agitation
Cognitive challenges
And much more
The expert caregivers at Modern Health Home Care can help make it possible for seniors to live alone with dementia by providing mental stimulation, social interaction, and encouragement to remain physically active, resulting in a much better quality of life. If you need senior care in Philadelphia or the surrounding areas, call us at 215.995.2012 or contact us online for a complimentary consultation to learn more about how we can help someone you love to continue to live where it is most comfortable – at home – for a lifetime.
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