Even without the internet your father has always been well informed. Even though he and his wife seem to always have two televisions going at the same time your father has always been able to glean the most important news. When you visit all you ever seem to hear is stories about rugged outdoors people foraging their way through the tundra, but your father seems to know when to call his stock broker and load up on some low priced shares. Even when you swear they watch nothing but shows about pawn shops, your father still knows the latest world and national news.
The day he misspoke about who the president was different.
Your father who once offered your daughters each $50 if they could memorize the names of the U.S. presidents in order slipped back a few decades and spoke as if Regan were still in office. For the rest of that day your dad seemed to be more measured any time he spoke. He seemed to either be choosing his words carefully or rehearsing them in his head first before he spoke them.
That was the first day you started to worry about your father and his memory.
You remember when your father spent time visiting memory care facilities that might be the right fit for your grandmother. When your father was looking at Alzheimers care facilities for his mom he knew all of the right questions to ask. Somehow, again, he had done his research, read some article from one of the many magazines stacked on every end table and counter in the house. Now that it is your turn, however, you feel ill informed. You feel incapable of asking the questions of your father, the doctor, or the staff at the memory care facilities that you are visiting.
Retirement Home Living Comes in Many Forms
From the people who are fortunate enough to simply move from their home to a comfortable place with no maintenance to those families who are searching for the right memory care facilities for a loved one, there are many senior living options. If you are someone who is faced with the difficult task of visiting dementia long term care facilities you likely have a long road ahead of you. Knowing, of course, that you have found a place that offers the best memory care activities for seniors can help. So, too, can knowing that you have recognized the signs and have worked with a doctor known for early detection of dementia. Still, none of these transitions are easy.
When adult children have to step up to a supervisory role for their parents who are suffering from dementia decisions are challenging. Finding a place that has the right level of care, however, can make the transition less of a challenge.
Memory Care Continues to be a Growing Need in This Country
The latest research indicates that as many as 33% of seniors will pass away with Alzheimers or another form of dementia. In fact, Alzheimers is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Furthermore, Alzheimers disease is the only top 10 cause of death in the U.S. that cannot be prevented, slowed, or cured, so it is a reality that many of us will have to face this battle at some time in our lives.
If your spouse of loved one is showing the first signs of dementia it is important to use all of the available resources to find the information that can help you make the best decisions. From doctor’s appointments to television news programs to magazine articles and online research, there are many ways that you can find the information that you need to help with the difficult transitions you will face. Memory care facilities offer settings that are specifically designed to lessen the stress dementia patients face on a daily basis. From the intentional arrangement of the halls to the color of the walls to the scheduled activities, there is research that shows your loved one can still live a peaceful life even as they make their way through many difficult changes. Are you ready to ask the big questions?