Caregiver matching creates a true connection for Dementia clients

The gradual affects of dementia cause stress and sadness in the family. We know it can be painful to watch your loved one slip away. We know what’s needed to make life easier for people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.  Our care managers understand that each individual will speak, behave differently, and their disease will have a varying impacts on their memory.  This is why each “Care Plan” is unique to the individual, but is also personalized to the needs of their family.  Our RN/LPN care managers work hard to find a great caregiver match for you and your loved one, because the right person and a structured routine make life so much more doable. We assist with and care about your specific diagnosis, not just general care. Great home care boils down to a great RN led caregiving team!

• Set up a safe home environment
• Keep space clean and organized
• Communicate clearly
• Establish structured routines
• Manage mood swings
• Maintain familiar activities
• Keep life as normal as possible

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The Stages of Alzheimer’s

Developed by Elizabeth Ostuni and Mary Jo Pietro Lincoln, Nebraska, Chapter, Geriatric Care Managers

Early “Forgetful” Stages

• Digresses from topic in conversation
• Tends to repeat self
• May ramble on and on
• Relies heavily on clichés
• Gets along adequately in most social situations.

Middle Stages

• Makes vague, empty, irrelevant conversation
• Asks fewer questions
• Is excessively self-oriented
• Does not initiate conversation
• Repeats ideas over and over
• Withdraws from difficult social situations
• Can still handle some casual social situations.

Late Stages

• Is no longer aware of social interaction or expectancies
• Withdraws partially or completely from communication
• Although not everyone experiences the same symptoms in the same order or with the same time schedule, we can generally characterize the progress of the disease in six stages, which may last three to 20 years. Note that these represent stages of brain deterioration; they can be caused by diseases other than Alzheimer’s.

Forgetfulness

Very mild cognitive decline: For example, problems such as: subjective complaints about memory deficit such as placement of familiar objects, forgetting names once known well. There is no objective evidence of deficits in social or employment situations. Don’t assume that all confusion and memory loss signal Alzheimer’s. Reactions to medications can cause reversible delirium and other medical problems may cause dementia. If you are worried, get a medical diagnosis.

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