Alzheimer’s disease impacts the lives of seven million Americans who suffer from this disease, but millions more feel the effects as the disease steals the memories of a loved one. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 55 million individuals around the globe live with dementia; experts estimate that Alzheimer’s accounts for the majority of dementia cases (60 to 70 percent).
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, individuals lose the ability to manage everyday tasks, including crucial self-care (like getting dressed and eating independently). September 21 marks World Alzheimer’s Day, which seeks to increase awareness about the disease and its symptoms and fight the stigma linked to Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Table of Contents:
Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Symptoms
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
What Is a Memory Care Facility?
Signs It’s Time For Memory Care
Costs of Memory Care
How Senior Moves Helps Families of Alzheimer’s Patients
Key Takeaways:
Alzheimer’s disease touches the lives of tens of millions of individuals across the world. World Alzheimer’s Day unites families as they strive to increase awareness, remove the stigma about this disease, and find the best care and support for their loved ones.
Dementia Vs. Alzheimer’s Disease
Individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease have dementia as part of the disease progression. However, not all individuals with dementia are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia, the loss of memory and judgment, is a symptom of numerous diseases and medical conditions.
Race Against Dementia explains that dementia is also a symptom of Huntington’s disease, hydrocephalus, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In addition, numerous types of dementia exist; Parkinson’s disease dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia are independent diagnoses. However, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for the majority of dementia cases–around 70 to 80 percent!
Alzheimer’s Symptoms
Only a doctor can properly diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. However, individuals should learn to understand and identify this disease's numerous warning signs and red flags. Early diagnosis ensures that patients may begin care and medication to help slow disease progression.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Age leads to common memory issues; misplacing car keys and retracing steps to find them is a common problem. Forgetting an occasional appointment also may be a common issue correlated to growing older. There are many red flags of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia that are not related to growing older, including:
Forgetting conversations and asking the same questions repeatedly
Getting lost while going to a familiar location.
Losing items and finding them in unusual places (a wallet may be in a kitchen cabinet)
Struggling with basic problem solving (balancing a checkbook, making a familiar meal, etc.)
Inability to track time (dressing for fall when it’s summer)
Visual issues (struggling with depth perception)
Communication struggles (forgetting a word is normal, but forgetting common objects is a red flag)
Making poor judgements (dementia patients may give away possessions or make large donations without thinking of the impact)
Disinterest in friends or social experiences
Anger, frustration, and other mood issues
The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, and it is unfortunately fatal. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the disease has three stages: early, middle, and late.
The earliest stages of Alzheimer’s typically lead to subtle memory issues; at this point, family and friends may notice that their loved one struggles with memory issues. They may forget appointments or constantly ask the same questions. The early stage is when small red flags appear.
Alzheimer’s middle stage leads to more serious memory concerns. The Alzheimer’s Association explains that patients may forget personal information, get lost in familiar areas, struggle with time, and their bladder or bowels may begin to fail as patients lose the ability to control these functions. Mood and personality also begin to change.
The late stage of Alzheimer’s disease is the final and most severe stage. Communication may be difficult or impossible. Patients must receive 24/7 care, as they cannot eat or get dressed. Eventually, the disease overtakes the body, and eating and swallowing becomes impossible.
The Alzheimer’s journey may endure for nearly two decades, from the beginning or early stages to the final stage of the disease. However, every patient is different.
What Is a Memory Care Facility?
As an individual near the middle and late stages of Alzheimer’s, symptoms increase, and the ability to manage daily tasks becomes untenable. Alzheimer’s patients may wander, posing a risk to their safety. Judgment also wanes, and Alzheimer’s patients may jeopardize their financial wellbeing by making poor money management decisions.
Eventually, Alzheimer’s patients require around-the-clock care and support. Family members may discover that they can no longer care for their parents or relatives and may begin to research future care and health management options.
A memory care facility is a special residential facility that specializes in the unique care needs of dementia patients. Individuals receive 24/7 care and monitoring, with assistance for managing medications, safety, and support for activities of daily living (ADL) like getting dressed, bathing, going to the bathroom, eating, and mobility. Memory care facilities typically feature alarms at every exit that activates when a patient tries to leave.
Signs It’s Time for a Memory Care Facility
The choice to move a parent or loved one into a memory care facility is very personal. How do you know it’s time for memory care? Many family members make the difficult decision to place their parent or family member in memory care when the individual’s safety becomes compromised.
While family members may provide care, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease gets worse over time. Individuals may start to leave their home and wander. They may make poor financial decisions or become openly hostile.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals need help with eating, bathing, and going to the bathroom. Family members may realize that they are unable to provide the level of care their loved one needs, and memory care becomes the best–and the safest–option.
Costs of Memory Care
Private insurance typically does not cover the cost of memory care facilities. However, some facilities could accept Medicaid. Dementia Care reports that memory care facilities cost around $54K annually (a national average). In some states, the cost could be higher or lower.
Families may visit numerous facilities to find the best care for their parent or loved one. Prices may vary, but amenities also could be very different at each facility.
How Senior Moves Helps Families of Alzheimer’s Patients
When the home is no longer safe and independence is no longer an option, families must begin to transition their loved ones to a residential care facility. Senior Moves works with families to make this transition easier for everyone.
Our team helps families prepare a home for sale. Senior Moves works with family members to sort through every possession, labeling piles to keep, donate, or discard. Our team also organizes and cleans the home, staging it to appeal to the most buyers.
Senior Moves helps with the move, too. We pack and unpack and arrange the new room to feel more like home. Our team also works with families to help ease the transition to a new space.
Our team understands the difficulty of a dementia diagnosis. We walk family members through every step of the transition and help ease their minds (and hearts) as they prepare their parents (or loved ones) for a move to a memory care unit. Learn more about the services we offer, and reach out to our team to schedule a consultation.
