Making the decision for a parent's future care in a senior living community is a stressful experience for any person. After all, this decision not only takes into account financial concerns, but the health and comfort of your loved one. Even if money is no object, you want to be sure your parent is in a safe and healthy environment. The difficulty of this decision is often compounded greatly if your loved one suffers from memory loss. Seniors with dementia require a higher level of care than other residents of their age.
Living With Dignity
Those suffering from Alzheimer's, memory loss, or other types of dementia may need additional care, but this shouldn't have to come at the expense of their dignity. When they move to a senior care community your parents aren't going away, rather they are simply beginning a new phase of their life. Long gone is the tragic image of the elderly wasting away in a dreary room all alone. Instead, your loved ones can now look forward to having the option of a full range of social, mental and physical activities. In fact, research shows that social interaction and stimulation has enormous benefits for seniors with dementia. Social activities also help foster a sense of community amongst the residents, while physical exercise can help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions commonly found late in life.
Peace of Mind
Perhaps the hardest part of making this momentous decision is the worry that you may not have made the right choice. Its only natural to feel this way, especially when your parents welfare is concerned. Often, seniors with dementia find themselves in a senior care community after they are no longer able to safely live by themselves without constant supervision. This level of supervision is exhausting to family members who may have to put work and personal obligations on hold to take care of their parent. While being your parent's caretaker lets you be sure they are well looked after, this burden doesn't have to be yours. Lost wages and work potential can even make taking care of your parent by yourself even more costly than senior care.
Peace of mind in a senior care community starts with the staff. They not only need to be professional, but well trained and compassionate as well. Seniors with dementia are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. This includes professionals well versed in the care of seniors with dementia, social interaction with residents, and top notch training to deal with whatever situation may arise during a resident's stay. Making the decision is much easier knowing your loved one is in not only trained hands, but compassionate ones as well.
Personalized Care
Every human being is unique. As such, they deserve more than a one size fits all approach to care. What may work for one person may be completely wrong for another. Providing for your parents requires a level of personal care that many large senior care communities are unable to provide. Personalized care can include everything from catering to medical conditions and providing the proper medications and therapy, to working around a resident's schedule to provide the services they need when they want them.
Of course these aren't all the possible concerns you may have as you think over your decision. Your loved one's care and comfort are important to you and every person's situation and needs are unique. What other concerns do you have for your loved ones care?
