by Growing Needs | Jul 31, 2024 | Community, Dementia
A dementia diagnosis is a progressive condition, meaning it gets worse over time.
There are seven stages of dementia, and each level comes with both new symptoms and a worsening of existing symptoms. Understanding these 7 stages and the associated changes would put caregivers in a better position to provide support across the 7 stages. It is certainly not an easy process to witness a loved one’s condition deteriorate over time but if we learn how to best support, it is the best we can do for a loved one. Dementia care services are an option for caregivers who need support with more advanced cases of dementia.
How can one help: Give your loved one as much autonomy as possible, only coming in to support.
How can one help: Enhanced supervision becomes more important here as one tries to accustom to the changes in behaviour and memory. This is also the stage where caregivers might start to experience higher levels of stress as this is a relatively new experience.
How can one help: Patience is especially important at this stage as this is the stage where symptoms and changes might become more apparent. As a caregiver, it becomes more important to understand the reasons of which a loved one might be doing certain things such as repeating themselves – which could be a sign of seeking reassurance.
How can one help: At this stage, being a solo caregiver might be a challenging task to navigate through the changes in a loved one. Dementia care and hired help may come in handy to supplement current care demands.
In this stage, people with Alzheimer’s likely need a lot of help from caregivers. It is good to consider care options if providing care at home starts to become challenging. Dementia care services and hospice care might be needed depending on the severity of one’s condition.
How can one help: At this stage, being a solo caregiver might be a challenging task to navigate through the changes in a loved one. Hospice care and hired help may come in handy to supplement current care demands.
It is definitely not easy seeing a loved one’s condition deteriorate and oftentimes, we might find ourselves stressed and burnt out from the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving. Understanding the different stages and the symptoms would help caregivers better manage expectations and provide the best level of care for a loved one.
Many turn to alternative care options to provide professional care for the family member suffering from dementia. Home respite care, assisted living and dementia care are some common options. Be it whether you need financial support, social assistance or just access to resources, do not hesitate to reach out and seek timely help.
Growing Needs grew out of our own encounters with caring for our aging parents and reflecting on the Growing Needs that we ourselves would face as we advance in years. We hope to build a community that will learn, share and contribute towards caring for the growing needs of our loved ones.
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