Alzheimer’s disease is devastating, but it also tends to progress slowly. This means that with the proper care, a loved one can remain at home and mostly independent for a surprisingly long period of time. In today’s world, this period of time is longer than it has ever been. That’s because more and more people want to avoid nursing homes, and this has driven up the demand for home care services.
Thanks to the increased demand, there are more service options and companies than there once were. In fact, it’s not hard to find one that specifically offers help for suffers of Alzheimer’s disease in Minnesota, Wisconsin and New Mexico and their caregiver relatives. These companies can provide everything from occasional check-up visits to daily care. They still don’t provide 24-hour care, but for many people, a daily visit is all that is needed to avoid full-time nursing for an extended period of time.
At first, people with Alzheimer’s will notice that it’s harder to remember things than it should be. This is what often leads them to see a doctor and get the diagnosis. During this very early phase, the effects are still mild. Check-up visits, reminder calls, and the provision of meals may be all that is needed to allow them to stay at home without other help.
As the disease progresses, more care will be needed. A daily visit by a nurse or other care practitioner will ensure that medicines are being taken properly and that basic hygiene, such as bathing and toothbrushing, is done. Relatives will usually step in to provide more care at this point.
Eventually, the patient will need full-time care. This, however, doesn’t mean that a nursing home is needed at this point. Help from relatives, combined with professional aid from a home care service, can allow the patient to avoid an institution despite their infirmity. In its final stages, Alzheimer’s may force the loved one into a hospital or similar environment, but thanks to all of the care options available, it is likely that this won’t happen for a very long time.
Of course, there are many ways people choose to deal with Alzheimer’s and the progressive infirmity it causes. However, the ability to avoid an immediate move to a nursing home is a point of light for many who contend with the condition.