How to Respond to a Dementia Diagnosis: What Comes First?
by Donna Spellman
Mom is having difficulty remembering conversations and often seems confused. I know we need to do something, but what? This question comes up for so many families when trying to find the best option for someone exhibiting signs of cognitive decline. Most often, people don’t know where to start and what’s available to them. Below are suggestions as to how to get started.
Step one: Visit the doctor and seek a thorough evaluation. You will want to rule out anything physical that may be causing these symptoms. Consider a geriatric assessment by someone qualified to recognize the many causes of cognitive decline. Memory loss and cognitive decline can be caused by a host of reasons so a thorough evaluation with an accurate diagnosis is key.
Step two: Once you receive a diagnosis, read, read, and read more. Gain an understanding of the diagnosis. Knowledge is power. (Note: Consider the source of what you’re reading. Be sure that any studies you read are backed by reputable sources. If a cure or treatment seems too good to be true, it probably is.)
Step three: Contact your area agency on aging or local commission on aging. These organizations have the most knowledge and information about services available within your community and where it might be most helpful for you to reach out. Some people find it helpful to work with a geriatric care manager. You can connect with service providers through your agency on aging or commission on aging. Contact the local Alzheimer’s Association and Livewell.org for information and resources.
Step four: Familiarize yourself with the terms and definitions of some of the many options that may be presented to you. A few typical options are:
Home Care: (Non-Medical) Home Care is provided in the home, allowing for assistance to someone with special needs, most often including help with activities of daily living, companionship and supervision. Support most typically includes assistance with bathing, dressing, eating, meal preparation, laundry and other light care. Home Care can be provided for a few hours a day, or full time, depending on your needs. It’s important to know that Home Care and Medical Home Care are not one and the same.
Medical Home Care is typically recommended post hospitalization when there is a need for continued medical services, but at home. Services can include IV therapies, nutritional feeding therapy, medication management, wound care, pain management and rehabilitative therapy. Medical home care is covered through Medicare and needed services that are prescribed when leaving the hospital.
Adult Day Care: A non-residential program designed for people requiring supervision and stimulation during the day. There are two models of adult day care, the medical model and the social model. Medical Model Adult Day Care includes medication management, nursing supervision, assistance with activities of daily living including bathing and personal care, along with socialization and stimulation. Social Model Adult Day Care includes activities for socialization and stimulation, but with no hands-on medical support. Some social model facilities will provide supervision such as reminders for participants to administer their medications independently but this varies from center to center.
Residential Memory Care: Memory Care is a type of long-term care facility geared toward those living with progressive-degenerative dementia. Memory Care facilities provide specialized care for people with memory loss, focusing on creating a secure environment for people with dementia while giving them the best quality of life possible.
Another very new concept in addressing dementia (and also preventing dementia) is enhancing brain wellness at a brain wellness center. “Lifted: The Brain Wellness Center” is a spa-like center where you can participate in a variety of wellness activities and programs that are designed to address and enhance cognition. Activities range from movement (Tai Chi, Yoga, light exercise and stretching), to creative activities including music, painting, clay and drama, to specialized puzzles and games that address specific areas of the brain in need of attention, to education and support. Also available is a variety of holistic therapies such as UV Therapy, Oxygen Therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.
Step five: Don’t go at it alone. Don’t isolate yourself. Ask for help. Join a local support group. Talk to others who are facing similar challenges. And most importantly, however much possible, don’t exclude the person living with dementia. That person is still here and still needs your love and support. You CAN maintain a positive quality of life for yourself and your loved one.
