Caring for a loved one with dementia can become a full-time task. It can get more difficult as dementia progresses. Dementia home care services can help you meet your loved one’s increasingly complex needs while ensuring that they get to remain at home.
It can also be of great help to family caregivers who might be experiencing stress and burnout. Caregivers are usually balancing dementia care with the demands of their career or child-rearing. They might also be simply struggling to have the free time they need to stay healthy and fulfilled.
Why home care is better
Through home care, the person with dementia is able to stay in an environment that is familiar to them. This is even more important than many people realize. Changes caused by moving to different facilities can be especially disorienting for individuals with advanced dementia.
Most older adults would also rather stay at home than move to a care facility. According to a 2007 survey on aging in place, 89% of seniors believe it is important for them to remain at home as they get older. 53% were also concerned about their ability to do so. Moreover, 13% identified moving out of their home and into a nursing home as their top fear.
Maintaining the same routine they had prior to cognitive decline helps their overall health. After all, people are creatures of habit. Having an established routine helps preserve the sense of control over their lives, that might otherwise be a source of frustration and despair as the dementia progresses.
In-home dementia care costs are typically far less than the costs of transferring your loved one to a facility. This especially applies to patients in the early to middle stages who will only need basic care.
Hiring dementia home care services can also lessen the strain on the family and the ones assigned to daily care. It is easier to balance self-care for caregivers with the needs of their loved one with the assistance of others. And as many home care workers have had extensive experience working with people with dementia, they can also bring knowledge and solutions.
Lastly, the pandemic created significant levels of isolation for many individuals with dementia living in care facilities. Safety protocols cause separation from their loved ones for long periods of time. While it’s unclear how this will affect the future, the potential of isolation should be a consideration when deliberating the benefits of keeping your loved one at home vs. at a care facility.
What home health agencies can do for your loved one
Many home health agencies are now equipping their caregivers with the skills and knowledge for dementia home care. Aides assist older adults with activities of daily living (ADLs) like cooking and cleaning, and providing companionship. They also ensure that the environment remains safe and conducive to their well-being.
Home health agencies who train their aides in the clinical aspects of dementia will be able to provide personalized care plans according to your loved one’s interests, likes, and dislikes.
Many agencies can provide engaging and therapeutic activities for people with dementia. They can also help break down complex tasks into manageable steps, and communicate effectively. They also may have experience and knowledge to help handle erratic moods and behavior, and manage the person’s stress levels.
Safety precautions for hiring home health professionals
Home health agencies should have stringent COVID-19 protocols in place. Even so, ensure these are clear to you before contracting their services. Be aware as well that letting someone into your household increases the risk of COVID-19, even with safety protocols observed.
Also, if COVID-19 vaccines have been rolled out to your area, ask to see if the person coming into your home has been vaccinated.
The Alzheimer’s Association also recommends practicing the following before letting a paid care professional into your home:
- Check their temperature before they enter your home. Do not let them in if their body temperature exceeds 100.4°F or 37.5°C.
- Ask if they have been exposed to anyone who might be COVID-19 positive within the last two weeks.
- Ask them to wear a mask.
- Ensure that they wash their hands upon arriving, and on a regular basis throughout their stay.
When dementia home care should be reconsidered
As the dementia progresses into its late stages, your loved one will need increased supervision and medical attention. They may have trouble communicating their needs, if at all, and their moods and behaviors may become unpredictable. They may also need assistance to perform daily activities, such as eating or bathing.
It is still possible to continue caring for your loved one at home during the late stages of dementia. However, hiring full-time (day and night) professional dementia home care services can become very expensive. Also, most private homes are not set up and equipped to provide the care needed in later stages. A home health agency should be able to determine if additional services or a move to a nursing home or memory care facility is needed.
However, transferring a loved one to a facility is a major challenge for families. This has become even more complicated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many facilities do not allow visitors. In-person contact with your loved one will be very limited while the pandemic is ongoing. For more information, refer to the Center for Disease Prevention (CDC) guidelines on nursing home and long-term care facilities during COVID-19.
It is best to discuss your options with your loved one’s health care provider before deciding the next steps for your loved one’s care plan.
In conclusion
Devising a way for your loved one to age in place will make a significant difference in their quality of life and well-being. It’s a good idea to have open discussions early on in their dementia journey about the type of care they want at different stages. They should be considered a partner in their own care rather than a receiver of care.
Also, it is always best to check in with your loved one regularly and to keep your options open should their needs change.
Most importantly, if you are a primary care provider for your loved one, be honest with yourself about your needs. Proactively take steps to make sure you are receiving the support you need to live a healthy and fulfilled life. At the end of the day, nothing enriches the lives of both people with dementia and their care partners more than being in a safe, loving, and caring home.