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When is the Best Time to Arrange Elderly Care for Your Dad?

Homecare in Mountainside NJ: Over 5 million men and women have Alzheimer's. Every situation is different, so it's hard to know exactly what your dad will experience.
Homecare in Mountainside NJ: Best Time for Care
Homecare in Mountainside NJ: Best Time for Care

Over 5 million men and women have Alzheimer’s. Every situation is different, so it’s hard to know exactly what your dad will experience. Some people with Alzheimer’s disease progress quickly and only survive for an average of 8 years to 10. Others live up to 20 years after the initial diagnosis.

How do you know when it’s time to arrange elderly care services? As money is an issue, you don’t want to hire caregivers too soon and have your dad run out of money. If there’s a chance he’ll live for 20 years, how are you supposed to know when it’s time for home care? There’s no right or wrong answer. You have to trust your judgment.

 

Homecare in Mountainside NJ: Best Time for Care
Homecare in Mountainside NJ: Best Time for Care

 

Talk to His Memory Care Doctor

Make sure your dad is seeing a memory care doctor. The doctor administers memory tests that help track the decline. MRIs of the brain also show the level of deterioration. That can help get an idea of how fast the disease is progressing.

Ask the doctor for advice on what help your dad will need in the next weeks and months. The doctor will have great insight into where he is and what happens next.

 

Monitor His Abilities

You’ll be looking for little clues like your dad putting on a t-shirt on a cold day or wearing a heavy sweater in hot, humid weather. Those can indicate he’s having a hard time with dressing.

If he cooks a meal and forgets it’s cooking, there’s a fire risk that you cannot ignore. You need to start turning off power or gas to the burners and oven. Someone needs to cook for him. Not only could he start a fire, but he might undercook items and risk food poisoning.

You take your dad out shopping. When you return, he tells you this isn’t his home. When he doesn’t recognize his house, he’s at risk of wandering. You don’t want him leaving the house for a walk and getting lost.

 

Pay Attention When You’re With Him

Most families start by providing care on their own. Helping with meals, housework, laundry, and transportation is arranged to balance work and personal lives. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, your dad may start to wander. Once that happens, he needs around-the-clock supervision, that’s a good time to start thinking about elderly care.

Ask an elderly care agency for advice. The experts can help you figure the right balance of caregivers and care provided by family members. The team effort will make a difference when it comes to making sure your dad has the care he needs while also staying within his budget.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Homecare in Mountainside, NJ, call the caring staff at Helping Hands Home Care today at 908-418-4299.

Providing Home Care Services in all of Northern and Central NJ, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside, and the surrounding areas.

 

Sources:
https://www.alz.org/

Robert D'Arienzo

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