Dementia care in Marietta can change lives, and sometimes even save them. The right community gives caregivers a break, supports seniors’ efforts to become more independent, and serves up an impressive menu of activities, special events, and classes. Stop worrying about falls, wandering, and your loved one’s ability to meet their daily needs. Here’s what you need to know as you begin the search for dementia care in Marietta.
Is It Time for Dementia Care?
If you’re not sure whether your loved one needs dementia care, take stock of their life and how you’re spending your caregiving time. If you answer in the affirmative to several of the below questions, it may be time for a move:
- Does your loved one need help with activities of daily living?
- Does your loved one wander or engage in other dangerous behaviors, such as leaving the stove on?
- Does your loved one seem afraid, isolated, or alone?
- Does your loved one still want to be active and engaged, but struggle to find ways to connect?
- Are you concerned about your loved one’s mental health?
- Do you feel overwhelmed by the demands of caregiving?
- Are you struggling to afford in-home care?
Getting Your Loved One on Board
Seniors with moderate to severe dementia may not resist dementia care, or even understand it. Those with milder cases may no longer have the capacity to recognize their own cognitive decline. Moreover, dementia does not change a person’s desire to live alone and pursue life on their terms. It just compromises the abilities necessary for such a pursuit.
If your loved one won’t listen, it’s important not to force them into something. Instead, work slowly to get them on board. Offer to tour communities with them, and reassure them that you are not abandoning them. Many seniors are eager to move into senior living upon learning that these communities are thriving places of joy and independence — not old-fashioned nursing homes.
You may also have to temporarily withdraw some help. When your loved one comes to understand that they cannot rely on you for 24/7 care, they may be more amenable to other options.
Finding the Right Community
The search for the right community begins with referrals from people you trust. Ask your loved one’s doctor — as well as friends and family — if they have any experience with senior living. A geriatric care coordinator can also help connect you to the perfect dementia care arrangement. When you have a list of options, research each community’s online reputation. Read their blog, their website, and their online reviews. Then choose to tour the communities with the best reputations.
Your tour is a chance to dig deeply, asking as many questions as you need to to understand life in the community. It’s also helpful to talk to residents. Ask them what they like about the community, how they spend their days, and if they would choose the community again. Because some residents may have dementia that’s too advanced to make talking possible, pay attention to their behavior. Do residents seem happy? Are they well groomed? Is the staff kind, even when residents are hostile or resistant?
The Solana East Cobb offers luxury dementia care to seniors who are struggling with cognitive decline. We understand that life with dementia can be frightening, and so we partner with seniors and their families to demystify dementia and make the journey feel easier. We’d love to talk to you about your senior living options. To learn more, download our free e-book, “Senior Living Demystified.”
