When Does Someone with Dementia Need 24-Hour Care?
If you’re a caregiver to a family member or loved one living with dementia, you know how challenging it can be to provide care day after day. As your loved one’s dementia progresses, delivering safe care at home can become a struggle. So at what point do dementia patients need 24-hour care? It can sometimes be hard to know when the time is right for a person with dementia to obtain this level of care. As the main caregiver, it’s your responsibility to make the best decisions for your loved one’s well-being. By looking out for the key signs listed below, you’ll have a better idea of when the time is right to transition your loved one to around-the-clock care.
Signs A Person With Dementia Needs 24-Hour Care
Caregiver stress — One of the biggest signs your loved one needs to transition to 24-hour care is if you as a caregiver are experiencing burnout. Increased stress, exhaustion, moodiness and anxiety are all symptoms you need a break and the support of a memory care facility.
Home Safety — If your loved one can’t be left alone at home and stay safe, it’s time to consider 24-hour care. Especially if your loved one has experienced falls, trips or accidents when unsupervised in the past, it’s a telltale sign you need to look into a memory care community.
Escalating Needs — Someone with early-stage dementia can be left alone, but as time goes on, their needs will escalate. If the health and wellness of your loved one is moving beyond what you can comfortably handle alone, then it’s time to look into 24-hour dementia care. It might be a tough conversation, but it’s worth having if you feel overwhelmed with caregiving responsibilities. Aggressive Behavior — One of the most challenging symptoms of dementia is physical or violent aggression. If your family member is lashing out or growing more and more frustrated over time, it’s best to consider your options for a memory care community.
Wandering — If you aren’t providing around-the-clock care for your loved one with dementia, it’s possible as their symptoms progress, they could walk out of the house and end up in a life-threatening situation. Memory care facilities can provide a safe space for residents to move about without the risk of getting into danger.
Medication Management — When you’re the primary caregiver for your loved one, medication management falls on you. If you have a full-time job, children or other responsibilities, it can sometimes be hard to ensure your loved one takes all prescribed medicine as intended. Under the supervision of a memory care team, dementia residents can get the immediate attention they need should there be an issue. It can be hard to know exactly when you should consider 24-hour care for someone with dementia. But if your loved one requires a higher level of care and you decide to wait, the number of things that can potentially go wrong is immeasurable. Listen to your intuition, do some research, watch carefully for the signs listed above, and ultimately, you’ll be able to do what you think is best for the long-term wellness and health of your loved one.
Find Full-Time Support at Freedom Plaza
Though dementia is a progressive condition, your loved one will likely have both good and bad days. As a caregiver, making the right decision about their care can seem challenging, but at Freedom Plaza, our goal is to help you feel confident you’ve made the right choice.
The memory care team at Freedom Plaza can introduce activities to help your loved one with dementia stay fit, connected and inspired. Our dynamic programming is designed to promote mental agility and physical exercise. Our staff is flexible to your loved one’s needs and takes each day as it comes. Please call us at 813-418-6584 to learn more.
