Aging may be associated with dementia, and aging can also be linked to diabetes, and high blood pressure, which raises the risk of developing the disorder.
Since dementia patients are elderly and more likely to need support on the way to a healthier lifestyle, Dementia Care Homes Gloucester can provide the utmost professional care for them. They’ll give homely comforts and positive space to dementia patients and improve their condition.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a neurocognitive disorder causing patients to be forgetful and unable to make decisions for themselves, which is caused by the degeneration and, eventually, death of the nerve cells. Moreover, dementia can significantly affect the patient’s daily routines, especially regarding language, memory, and thinking.
The DSM-5 has provided the diagnostic criteria to consider dementia:
- A decline in cognitive performance in terms of language, learning and memory, planning, making decisions, and complex attention
- Needs assistance in carrying out daily tasks and routine
- They have difficulty doing activities they’re usually familiar with, such as using tools or driving a vehicle.
- They may need help familiarizing the environment or navigating places familiar to them.
- Change in mood, behavior, and social cognition, such as unable to dress and groom appropriately
Aside from aging risks and having conditions of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases, genetic predisposition can be more likely for a person to have dementia. Family medical history should then help in diagnosing the disorder.
Although, brain scans or blood tests won’t certainly detect dementia. This neurocognitive disorder is diagnosed by knowing the symptoms the patient experiences and the family’s medical history.
Patients with Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease have amyloid plaque buildup on their nerve cells or neurons, causing them to degenerate and later die. However, it doesn’t solely detect dementia since some people have amyloid plaque buildup but won’t see signs of dementia.
Currently, there is no cure for dementia. Medications are more focused on relieving the symptoms, such as slowing down the degenerative process of neurons through stimulating exercises, avoiding smoking, and having a healthy lifestyle.
In-Home Care Benefits For Dementia Patients
Dementia patients can have their best treatment if they’re in a healthy environment, like in the comforts of their homes. Safe spaces can help them improve their condition by being with their loved ones. Below are the other benefits you can have when dementia patients are in in-home care.
1. Having A Well-Planned Diet
Having a well-planned diet, either for dementia patients who already have diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, or preventing them from having one, helps through the caregiver’s guided preparation services and customized meal plans.
Thus, having a caregiver at home helps by looking out for dementia patients on what the family should consider in what a dementia patient should eat. This will prevent dementia patients from consuming food that’s high salt content and is rich in fat.
Cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and stroke in the brain increase the risk of dementia. Head injury, usually from sports like football, Lewy body disease, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease, can also be the causes of dementia.
2. Reduce Patients Anxiety
Unfamiliar faces and spaces for dementia patients can increase their anxiety and be very uncomfortable, making them feel unsafe and disoriented. The patient’s anxiety due to memory deterioration can be reduced if they are taken care of in the comfort of their home.
3. Compassion For The Elderly
Compassion and respect for dementia patients, especially for the elders, are part of managing their condition given by the caregivers. They’ll be given much more attention and meet their needs faster than moving them into residential facilities.
4. Help In Monitoring Symptoms
Over time, symptoms of dementia can progress, where a simple forgetfulness can move to impaired ability to make judgments, change in mood or behavior, and poor reasoning. Thus, having an in-home care treatment for dementia patients can immediately monitor and determine the best care to provide for each symptom.
5. Covered by Insurance Plans
Besides the much lower cost of in-home care for dementia patients compared to residential nursing facilities, there are long-term care insurance plans that can help you cover the expenses ahead. Residential nursing facilities rates per hour while in-home care is rated per day, which is fixed and would lessen out-of-pocket expenses.
6. Near Loved Ones
Dementia patients may need caregivers to take care of them, but being near loved ones significantly impacts providing the care they need. The presence of their loved ones would help them feel warm, calm, and comfortable as they see familiar faces.
In hard times like these, dementia patients would undoubtedly need the support of their family and friends so they won’t feel loneliness and depression. Human interaction and familiar faces can help them cope with their condition and overall well-being.
7. Palliative Care
As caregivers monitor the symptoms of dementia patients, they’ll be able to provide specialized care and treatment and see if their patient is improving or has been over time. They’ll professionally give the patient the appropriate medication, treatment, and other needs. Thus, the caregivers can immediately address their concerns to the family and be able to make adjustments.
In-Home Care is Beneficial to Your Loved Ones
In-home care for dementia patients can be relieving to their loved ones as they can see the progress of these patients being rid of their symptoms and having the hospitality and care they need. It’s also convenient for their families not to visit these patients and be farther away from them.
Dementia patients need more support, social connection, and interaction with their loved ones, especially in their fragile state. Being more involved with their situation and present throughout their condition and aging can help these patients get through dementia.
References:
https://www.eldercarehomecare.com/5-benefits-of-home-care-for-dementia-patients
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia#
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/special-issues/seniors/dealing-dementia
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