Dementia is one of the most devastating diseases affecting seniors. Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia, and Frontotemporal dementia are among several conditions that can cause dementia symptoms and make it necessary to get your loved one the dementia care they need. Our caregivers at Senior Helpers are trained to recognize the signs of dementia, treat our clients with individualized attention to manage their symptoms, and keep their quality of life at a high level. We create Alzheimer care programs tailored to each senior’s specific needs. Our Senior Gems® approach is designed to create a positive environment, focused on your loved one’s strengths rather than their weaknesses. If your loved one is demonstrating one or more of the following symptoms our caregivers can help.
Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks
Seniors with dementia generally find it difficult to complete ordinary daily tasks which might have previously been easy. This might mean having trouble driving to a familiar location, paying their credit card bills, or remembering how to play a game they once enjoyed. While simple forgetfulness is normal with age, the forgetting of an often-practiced routine can be cause for concern.
Confusion with Time or Place
Keeping track of dates, times, and even seasons can be difficult for people with dementia. Unless something is happening immediately they can have trouble understanding it. Forgetting where they are—especially if it’s somewhere they visit often, like the supermarket—or how they got there, can be particularly worrisome.
Problems with Words, Either Speaking or Writing
Having trouble following or participating in a conversation can be a sign of dementia. Your loved one may stop in the middle of a sentence without knowing how to continue, constantly repeat themselves, or struggle with vocabulary.
Constantly Misplacing Things
People with dementia often misplace things or put objects in places they have never put them before. Difficulty retracing their steps, or accusing others of stealing, is also a sign that something isn’t quite right.
Withdrawal from Social Activities
While it’s normal for a senior to feel tired at some social gatherings, someone with dementia will often remove themselves from social activities completely. They might have difficulty remembering how to complete a favorite hobby.
Mood Swings
People with dementia can often experience severe mood changes, becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. They might have difficulty handling minor disruptions to their routine and struggle to stabilize their emotions in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
Senior Gems
Our Senior Gems program is an overall approach to care, designed to focus on the strengths of each senior rather than their weaknesses. We want to emphasize the faculties that are still available to them. This will hopefully enable them to continue living a comfortable life at home. Senior Gems is founded on the principle of taking a positive approach to dementia care.
If your loved one is demonstrating any of the above symptoms, they may greatly benefit from Dementia care. Reach out to Senior Helpers today to speak with our experts about your needs.
SENIOR GEMS® is based on GEMS™, techniques, strategies, and overall approach to care which was created and developed by Teepa Snow, Positive Approach, LLC www.teepasnow.com. GEMS™ and POSITIVE APPROACH™ are trademarks of Positive Approach, LLC. SENIOR GEMS® is a registered trademark of Senior Helpers.