Ensuring the safety and well-being of a senior relative withfrontotemporal dementia (FTD) represents a significant challenge. Suppose your loved one lives alone or is left alone for extended periods. In that case, it's natural to worry about their ability to manage daily tasks and maintain a good quality of life.
In this blog post, we'll discuss 10 signs that indicate your senior relative with FTD may require a caregiver, should move in with a family member, or both.
Watch for These Ten Signs to Determine if Your Loved One With Ftd Needs 24-Hour Care
As FTD progresses, a professional caregiver may help with practical concerns such as housekeeping, personal hygiene, and financial management. But caregivers also provide security, emergency care for injuries and illnesses, and emotional support and companionship to deal with communication problems and feelings of frustration and confusion.
The ten signs below indicate a need for more extensive care:
- They wander and may get lost. The disorientation caused by FTD may lead to risks such as accidents and dangerous encounters.
- FTD patients may suffer from poor personal hygiene. This can be demonstrated by a lack of bathing and difficulty grooming and dressing. Poor hygiene may lead to infections and skin problems.
- They have difficulty managing medications. Forgetting to take prescribed medicine or the wrong dose could cause accelerated symptoms.
- They experience excessive accidents or injuries. If your senior loved one falls or receives bruises and other marks from bumping into things frequently, they may need more extensive care.
- Their home becomes excessively dirty or cluttered. Uncontrolled clutter may lead to accidents and injuries. Unsanitary conditions also contribute to health problems.
- Personality changes may keep them from socializing with friends and family.
- Persons with frontotemporal dementia often forget to eat, resulting in poor nutrition and weight loss.
- FTD patients may start needing help with financial management. If they no longer remember to pay bills, it may indicate they need further help. They may also need assistance with documents such as wills and health directives.
- People with advanced FTD start to experience problems communicating. These communication difficulties include understanding others, expressing their thoughts, and following instructions.
- As frontotemporal dementia advances, many seniors become more agitated and aggressive. The aggression may range from unpleasant to dangerous and represents a threat to the senior and those around him.
We Want to Help
It's crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of seniors with FTD. If you notice any of these signs in your loved one, consider employing a caregiver, moving your senior loved one in with a family member, or both. If a family member has the ability to care for the patient with FTD, you may still want to consider a part-time professional caregiver to make sure the family caregiver practices self-care.
If you live in South Bend, Elkhart, Goshen, or Mishawaka, IN, and are concerned about your senior relative with FTD living alone, contact Senior Helpers South Bend for professional caregiving services to ensure their safety and day-to-day quality of life.