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Author: lmessner@choicelocal.com

Caring for seniors experiencing cognitive changes is not an easy task. Family caregivers face a lot of different challenges whether their aging family members are battling Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. Getting the right help from professionals who understand what seniors with cognitive impairments need is something family caregivers might worry is impossible. But home care providers offer strategies and assistance that really help.

Understanding Cognitive Illnesses

Cognitive illnesses affect functions like reasoning, communication, and memory. They directly affect a person’s ability to perform daily activities that they’ve done all of their lives. Facing these challenges is often extremely emotional and patients grieve the futures they wanted to have. Alzheimer’s, dementia, and related conditions quickly lead to confusion, disorientation, and behavioral changes.

Communication Techniques

Elder care providers can help family caregivers learn communication techniques that make it easier to understand seniors and share information with them. Simple, concise language helps quite a lot. Abstract concepts and complicated instructions are difficult for seniors with cognitive impairments to follow. Nonverbal cues can help convey meaning, too.

Offering a Supportive Space

Seniors with cognitive illnesses can live in their own homes for a lot longer than they might have thought possible. The key is to put the right help in place for them. Experienced home care providers can help seniors to simplify their spaces and put safety measures in place. Removing possible tripping hazards and focusing on keeping seniors as safe as possible helps them to feel more comfortable in their homes.

Building Routines

Structure and a consistent schedule make a big difference for seniors who are battling cognitive impairments. It’s also possible to build in time for activities that seniors enjoy and that offer opportunities to experience wins throughout the day. Using routines well reduces anxiety and confusion, especially in the later stages of cognitive illnesses.

Supporting Family Caregivers

Family caregivers deal with so very much during each day. Home care providers help them to learn what they need to know to be there for the seniors they love. Professional caregivers also make it possible for family caregivers to feel comfortable leaving the house to take care of things they need to handle. Feeling secure in leaving seniors in the care of experienced professionals is invaluable for family caregivers.

Collaborating with Healthcare Providers

Cognitive illnesses may not be curable yet, but patients and families can learn strategies to manage the condition. Seniors may need help getting to appointments and senior care providers can help with that. They can also help to coordinate home visits from specialists like physical or occupational therapists.

Home care offers tremendous benefits for seniors who are dealing with all sorts of conditions. But families of seniors facing cognitive illnesses may see those benefits a lot more obviously as they adapt to having the support that they’ve been missing. Seniors with cognitive illnesses can still experience independence and continue to age in place as long as they have the right help from professionals who understand their needs.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Palo Alto, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Helpers today (408) 317-4969.