Your Options Of Care For Late Stage Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's is a very cruel and unforgiving disease of the brain. Damaging its ability to retain memories and communicate with the rest of the body, it is a degenerative condition, meaning that it grows steadily worse with time. Unfortunately, there is no known cure, nor method of reversing the damage, once it is done. While early stages of Alzheimer's seem like little more than the occasional memory lapse, a person who is suffering from the final stages of Alzheimer's is in need of 24 hour care and constant watching. How do you handle an adult who is suffering from Alzheimer‘s disease? What sort of care facilities are available, to help a loved one who is in the final stages of this devastating disease? What can you do to help?

The most important thing that you can do, to help a person with Alzheimer's disease, is to be patient, caring and understanding. A diagnosis of this magnitude can be just as devastating as the condition itself, and patients are often frustrated, confused and afraid. Assure your loved ones that, no matter what, you will be there for them and discuss different options with the patient, letting them have a say in the decision that is being made.

When a person is suffering the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, there are many options available for them, such as retirement housing, adult day services or in-home respite services. However, as the disease progresses and the Alzheimer's patient comes to require more and more assistance and supervision, these independent care facilities are no longer an option. By the time that a patient has entered into the final stages of Alzheimer's, they will require 24-hour care and constant supervision. By this point, the main question is whether you wish to care for your loved one at home, or if you believe that a nursing home can provide them with the best care at the moment.

This type of decision can be difficult, both on the patient and on their loved ones. At a time when they are feeling lost, frightened and confused, the Alzheimer's patient is already dealing with feelings of being abandoned and often suffering from anxiety, or lashing out with aggressive behavior. This can make a wise decision difficult, sometimes, to choose. While few find pleasure in the idea of having someone they love placed into a home, in some cases, this may very well be what is for the best.

Nursing homes are needed when the patient requires 24 hour supervision or special care. Specially licensed and able to administer the proper medications as needed, some nursing homes even have specialized programs for those suffering from dementia. Additionally, nursing homes have licensed professionals on staff and have to submit to regular inspections, to insure patients are receiving suitable care.

Many people feel guilty about leaving their loved ones in a nursing home and choose to keep the patient with them, where they are more familiar with their surroundings and cared for by those that love them. True, these are very noble reasons, but again, one must always look at the big picture. Before you take such a risk, think everything over clearly; are you truly able to stay with your loved one throughout the duration of this disease if it goes on for another 20 years? Are you willing to give up your career? What about your life out, dancing in the clubs, or taking trips? Can you put your life on hold for all that time?

For those who feel that they are capable of caring for an Alzheimer's patient, another form of help is available in hospice care. Hospice care is an option for any terminally ill patient, during their last 6 months of life or, as in the case of those suffering dementia, during the last stage of Alzheimer‘s disease. Experienced with medical equipment, meds, and often just talking and helping to alleviate stress, hospice care workers often help to tend for the ill person, handling the things that they cannot do at home, such as bathing, administering certain medications, et cetera.

Whether you choose to have your loved one's care provided in a nursing home or in your own home is a choice that you and they have to make, hopefully together. Take into consideration all avenues; cost, needs, programs, reliability and respectability. Once you've weighed your options and considered all routes, when it comes down to the final decision, follow your heart.