In-Home Care Services for People Living with Dementia
Dementia is often viewed as a progressive, incurable, and ultimately fatal disease, with care created based on decline and disability. At Emerald CareGivers, we will develop a unique plan of care that focuses on abilities and not decline; one that focuses on living as full of a life as possible. The goal of in-home dementia care is to strengthen overall well-being that can be altered as the condition progresses.
How Dementia Affects a Person
Affecting about 50 million people worldwide with nearly 10 million new diagnoses every year, dementia impacts every aspect of a person’s life. Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms that can come from different diseases. All forms of dementia involve changes in the thinking process that are significant enough to interfere with one’s daily life. Over time, the affected person can experience changes in how they react to environmental stimuli, changes in executive function, as well as physical decline.
How Dementia Home Care Services Can Help
If you or someone you care for is diagnosed with dementia, it is important to work with a trained home care professional who understands the underlying diseases and their progression. With Emerald CareGivers, quality in-home dementia care is not “one-size-fits-all,” but is instead redefined in a way that is more holistic and without over-emphasis of disease or deficits.
Completing a home audit is essential in providing supportive dementia care services focused on:
- Safety in and around the home
- Promoting independence by modifying steps to an activity
- Allowing time for the person to participate in their care
- Engagement at the right time and the right amount
- Arranging closets and drawers to promote successful independence
- Looking for reactions to the environment, like temperature or noise
- Knowing when it is time for quiet and rest
- Staying engaged in physical activity to promote circulation and muscle strength
Types of Dementia
Dementia is caused by diseases such as Vascular, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Frontotemporal (FTD), Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and more. Two of the most common causes of dementia are Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia (LBD).
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than five million Americans. Typically, memory and executive function gradually decline over time due to degenerating brain cells. Unless the individual has other diseases or illnesses, physical deterioration does not usually occur until the disease has significantly progressed and caused impairment in basic function and motor skills necessary to physical health.
Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia is another common cause of progressive dementia. Initially, individuals may experience symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, while others may have vivid visual hallucinations. Lewy body dementia may also cause unusual sleepiness during the day and blanking out, as well as problems with movement like trembling.