The signs start popping up seemingly out of nowhere. Your elderly parent or spouse has just said or behaved in an uncharacteristic or concerning way. A simple problem that is easily solved can’t be figured out. Or all of a sudden they can’t recall the name of someone familiar or recently learned information.
You think to yourself “Hmm, that was strange.”
Then it starts happening more frequently. The consistency of these instances becomes undeniable.
Is your loved one starting to show the signs of dementia?
The unfortunate reality of aging is the prevalence of dementia, with about 30% of people 85 and older having some form of it. And while it’s not considered a “normal” part of getting old, it’s also not uncommon.
Here are some signs of dementia that you may observe:
Neglecting daily personal hygiene
Forgetfulness, including forgetting to take medications and forgetting to eat
The tendency to wander - for example, wandering out the front door for no reason or around an area they’re supposed to be doing something specific in, such as grocery shopping at a store
Any noticeable disruption in how they normally behave
Withdrawing from social life
Ceasing to be verbal, especially to their closest loved ones and friends
Displaying obsessive-compulsive behavior
In terms of forgetfulness, it’s normal for everyone to forget things sometimes. But with dementia, it’s more about consistently forgetting routine things like names and dates, as well as getting lost driving to and from familiar places.
This National Institute on Aging chart compares normal aging-related memory loss with the realities of dementia.
When dealing with dementia, the concern for safety cannot be emphasized enough. Dementia often leads to exit-seeking, where your loved one will let themselves out of a safe place and wander out into the world. Another sign of dementia is being disruptive, which can result in injury to oneself or others. Abandonment of daily hygiene can also cause health problems, such as infections.
So how do you start the process of looking into getting memory care services for your loved one?
The first thing you should do is contact your loved one’s primary care physician and explain your concerns to them.
Once you have a diagnosis or an evaluation from a doctor, explore your options. Here at Coastal Transitions, we have a wealth of resources and can find you a memory care community or an assisted living community with memory care units that fits your needs.
An important word of advice - trust your instincts. We always advise adult children and spouses to pay attention to their instincts. More than likely you will feel like it’s time - it’s a tangible feeling - when it’s time to move your loved one into a memory care community.
We also recommend starting the transition process into a memory care community during the earlier stage of dementia. This is when your loved one still has some cognition and can be more involved with the change, become familiar with their new surroundings, and get to know the staff that will be taking care of them. This is in stark contrast to arriving at a new community by the time the dementia has progressed into later stages and your parent or spouse has a much more difficult time acclimating to their new reality.
Do you have questions about memory care? We’re here to help. Contact us today at 207-569-3283 or email us at info@coastaltransitionsofmaine.com.