When Do Dementia Patients Need 24-Hour Care?
Vivant Senior Living resident using leg exercise device
We get calls from spouses and family members telling us they are the primary caregiver to a loved one experiencing dementia. There are many reasons why being the primary caregiver to a loved one with dementia is challenging. In this post, we want to discuss reasons when it may be time to start looking for memory care options that can provide 24-hour care to your family member.
They are not sleeping through the night. Sleep is vital to everyone. A night of no or poor sleep impacts us in profound ways. If your loved one with dementia is waking up in the middle of the night often, we recommend looking for 24-hour memory care options. We find that the right place can give your family member their best chance of getting a good night's rest. Whether that is social engagement during the day or helping with medication management, all small things add up to a better chance of getting rest at night. If your family member is taken care of, there's a better chance you will get rest at night too! Vivant Senior Living is here to provide exceptional memory care to your loved ones so they and you can get the rest you need.
They have exit-seeking tendencies. We find that some but not all elderly experiencing may want to walk around if they are still able to. An even smaller number will want to walk around and try to open doors and cupboards. And an even smaller amount will try to leave the premises actively. If your family member is part of this small minority, it is helpful to have a dedicated staff who can help redirect your family member from walking out the front door. Sometimes the answer is to go on a walk with them. Sometimes that is finding a more exciting activity they can focus their energies. Or sometimes, it is simply scheduling a phone call with a family member so they can hear their voice. All of Vivant Senior Living's locations have secured fire exits with alarms. Secured fire exits with alarms and fire sprinkler systems help us ensure a memory care resident does not leave our homes without us knowing while also keeping them as safe as possible in the event of a fire.
They are living alone fully or partially. When older adults experiencing memory loss live by themselves, sometimes they forget to take their medication. Other downstream impacts can come about by missing a pill when this happens. Some family members experiencing memory loss live with their spouse or another family member, but they may spend a third of the day alone if the other family drives in to work. Missed medication during these times can also have an impact. We also find that memory loss can have good and bad days, like all things. They may need help with many things on bad days, including toileting. Vivant Senior Living's caregiving team is there for our memory care residents on their bad days and good days.
They are having issues using the stovetops and knives safely. Memory loss impacts a ton of things. A lot of our memory care residents enjoy doing many things around the house, including baking and cooking. We find that the desire to bake and cook does not go away just because you now live with memory loss. However, if they forget to turn off the stove after use or use a knife in an unsafe way, it can be problematic. Vivant Senior Living loves when the residents help us bake or cook meals. It's essential to find healthy ways to participate in everyday household activities, but we also monitor to ensure everyone stays safe.
They are prone to falls. If your loved one has had a fall in the past or is prone to falls, it is wise to have twenty-four-hour memory care to make sure they have someone to assist on their bad days. Everyone has less mobility as they age. We also lose muscle mass, and our vision gets worse. Still, there are many ways to stay safe and reduce the risk of falls. We find that encouraging mobility, whether through walking or lighter activities like chair yoga, is vital to reducing falls. Vivant Senior Living also focuses on ensuring our memory care residents get assistance with showering, toileting, medication management, hydration, and meals. All of these impact your risk of falling. If a resident is experiencing a conflict with a new medication, we observe the issue and work with their primary care provider to adjust. We also want to ensure they are getting the hydration and nutrition they need to stay healthy and make sure their bodies have their best chance of processing the medications in an intended way. Some memory care residents need assistance with transfers into the shower or to a toilet as these can be challenging areas to navigate by themselves as dementia progresses. Vivant Senior Living's caregiving team is trained and happy to assist with these challenges.
If you want to talk with Vivant Senior Living about transitioning your loved one or family member to 24-hour memory care, don't hesitate to contact us. We can provide an initial consultation over the phone, or you can come tour one of our memory care homes and meet our caregiving team.