You’re sitting at the dinner table with your family members when suddenly your grandpa calls you the wrong name. At first you just brush it off, but then you notice he seems to call everyone the wrong name and look genuinely confused when somebody corrects him. This could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease which negatively affects cognitive function. Adults 65 and older are typically more at-risk for developing Alzheimer’s and unfortunately, the disease only worsens as time goes on. If you’re worried that your loved one may have Alzheimer’s, there are 10 early signs and symptoms to look out for.
Early Signs
Early Signs to Look For
10 early signs and symptoms to look out for
Memory Loss
If your loved one is often forgetting important dates, repeatedly asking the same questions, relying more on family members to handle things they used to handle themselves, and forgetting information as soon as they’ve learned it; this could be a sign of Alzheimer’s. Occasionally forgetting names or appointments but remembering later is considered normal.
Difficulty Problem-Solving & Planning
When it comes to numbers, a person living with early Alzheimer’s may have trouble concentrating and managing finances, resulting in taking much longer to complete tasks than usual.
Difficulty Completing Simple Tasks
e.g., Driving in a familiar location can suddenly become unfamiliar.
Confusion with Time or Place
Your loved one may not remember what day of the week it is or have any recollection of where they are. This worsens with disease progression to the point where it can become dangerous to leave your love one unattended for extensive periods of time. Forgetting what day it is occasionally is normal, but people suffering from Alzheimer’s will become completely unaware of time.
Vision Problems or Difficulty Determining Space
Driving becomes severely difficult when a person’s vision and sense of space is negatively affected by Alzheimer’s. Vision problems tend to occur with age and should be monitored regularly.
Impaired Speech or Writing
Holding verbal or written conversations becomes challenging. Sometimes the wrong words are used to describe an object, vocabulary is not as strong, and repetition occurs often.
Losing Items
A common step people follow when they lose something is retracing their steps in hopes of locating the lost item. However, a person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease will be unable to retrace their steps and may even accuse other people of stealing their lost items.
Poor Judgement
This often relates to decisions regarding finances and personal hygiene.
Social/Work Withdrawal
Socializing becomes more difficult, resulting in withdrawal from hobbies and social activities.
Personality/Mood Changes
A person suffering from Alzheimer’s may become more confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, anxious, or easily upset with others.
Stages of Alzheimer’s
There are three stages of Alzheimer’s: mild, moderate, and severe. It’s important to note how symptoms can often overlap making it more difficult to identify which stage is prevalent.
Mild
• Difficulty performing tasks in social/work settings, remembering names and/or words, and staying organized/planning
• Losing common objects often
• Forgetting material that was just read
Moderate
• Forgetting personal history, significant events, personal information such as address, phone number, etc.
• Shift in sleep patterns
• Wandering
• Exhibiting compulsive behaviors and personality changes
• Withdrawing from social/work activities
• Difficulty controlling bladder
• Requiring assistance with daily functions such as getting dressed
Severe
• Loss of awareness
• Mobility is severely affected (e.g., walking, sitting, swallowing, talking, etc.)
• Requires 24/7 care
What’s Your Next Step
If your loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek professional help immediately for a proper diagnosis. In the event the diagnosis is dementia, Alzheimer’s, or memory impairment, assisted living and memory care could be beneficial. Facilities equipped with 24/7 nursing care, individualized care plans, in-house Geriatricians, and plenty of cognitive stimulation through a 24/7 activities calendar will ensure peace and comfort for your loved one in a safe homelike environment.
Assisted living can be a difficult topic to discuss with family members, and we are here to help in any way possible. If you think your loved one could benefit from our memory care services or other care options, please contact us for more information. To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, please visit the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org/
How To Find The Best Assisted Living Facility in Bel Air North, MD
Services & Amenities You Should Look For, In a Process of Finding The Best Assisted Living Facility In Bel Air North, MD
Everyone ages differently. While some age-related changes are inevitable, such as slower reflexes and vision challenges, other issues can vary greatly from person to person. Lifestyle and to a lesser degree, genetics, are key determinants in how healthy you are at every age.
This is important information to keep in mind as you search for the best Assisted Living Facility in Bel Air North, MD – whether for yourself, a spouse, or aging parents. It might be that a senior is active and independent at the time of a move, but what happens when needs change?
Understanding Care Options in an Assisted Living Facility
Moving is tough at any age, but there are more obstacles and challenges for older adults. This is why when you do move during your retirement years, you want to make sure that you only do it once. Understanding what types of care a senior assisted living community offers and what happens if care needs change over time are important issues to address before making a big decision to relocate at assisted living facility in Harford County area. This includes if one parent needs more or different care than another.
If you aren’t familiar with different types of senior housing, this quick overview might be helpful:
Assisted Living in Bel Air North: Some older adults and their families find assisted living to be the best of two worlds. Residents appreciate the independence of having their own private living space but do so knowing that services and medical care are available 24/7. They can receive assistance with personal care, housekeeping, medication management, toileting, and more. That’s in addition to meals and wellness programs.
Enhanced Care in Bel Air North: With multiple levels of care, an enhanced care facility will be able to adjust treatment as medical needs change to facilitate easy transitions from assisted living to enhanced care. Enhanced Care will cover the spectrum of care needs that fall between Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing. It’s always good to ask whether or not the facility has enhanced care capabilities in your search for finding the best assisted living facility in Bel Air North.
Memory Care in Bel Air North: Designed to allow adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia to enjoy their best quality of life, memory care programs are typically a part of an assisted living community. Specialized caregivers, dedicated dining services, and a safe, supportive environment are standard. Memory-focused daily activities allow residents to remain engaged and active.
At each Assisted Living in Bel Air, MD area you visit, ask a sales associate how they handle changes in care level needs after a senior becomes a resident. Are different types of care available in the same Community? Can residents move from one care level to another care level seamlessly?
For instance, if one person begins to need more help with ambulation or incontinence than their partner, the couple can still remain a part of the same senior community without having to split up or move again. Even if these changes require separate living arrangements, they will still be in an environment that is familiar to them surrounded by team members and other residents that they know.
In Addition to the continuum of care, you should also look for below service and amenities in a assisted living facility :
-
Nurses on-site 24/7, not just on call.
-
Nutritional services.
-
Electronic Medication Administrations System
-
Personal care assistance with activities of daily living like bathing, grooming and dressing.
-
Wireless nurse call and wander-prevention systems for enhanced safety and peace of mind.
-
In-house Geriatrician with support service.
-
Scheduled medical transportation
-
Concierge services such as a mobile podiatrist.
-
Provider Choice – Residents can choose to keep their personal physician.
In Conclusion
Moving is difficult at any age, but it’s especially hard as a senior. So always look for an assisted living facility, which has unique levels of care. This will help to cut down on any of the unnecessary moves that could prohibit seniors from living to their fullest potential. To learn more about how the continuum of care plan works, please contact us for more information.
Meet our Happy Residents
Roxie & Ralph
Testimonial
Roxie & Ralph tells us what they think about Forest Hill Heights
Forest Hill Heights Senior Living is an all-inclusive assisted living community where seniors can live a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life in Harford County, Maryland.
Meet our Happy Residents
Roxie & Ralph
Testimonial
Roxie & Ralph tells us what they think about Forest Hill Heights
Forest Hill Heights Senior Living is an all-inclusive assisted living community where seniors can live a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life in Harford County, Maryland.
10 Warning Signs
Video
That it May Be Time for Assisted Living
Are you starting to get worried about Mom or Dad being by themselves at home? Watch the video to familiarizing yourself with the signs.
Assisted Living
Familiarizing yourself with these 10 signs will help make the planning process much easier.
-
- 1. Mobility Issues: Is Mom or Dad having trouble walking around the house, walking up and down the stairs or demonstrating any signs of decreased mobility? Are you worried about falls and fractures due to normal physical changes that can limit your loved one’s mobility?
-
- 2. Memory Problems: Does Mom or Dad tend to forget important events, doctor appointments or even forget to take their medications? Do you notice any issues related to memory problems like repeating the same questions and statements over and over, misplacing things or leaving the stove on several times? Does your aging love one wander away from home?
-
- 3. Needs Help with Personal Care or Grooming: Does your aging parent go out without brushing his/her hair, wear dirty clothes, have bad breath or demonstrate other signs of neglecting personal hygiene? For seniors with medical conditions, hygienic tasks may be difficult to do.
-
- 4. Housekeeping Issues: Next time you visit your aging loved one, try to observe and look around the house. Is the house well maintained? Are the counters and floors dirty? Are there spoiled foods in the refrigerator? If you answer yes to any of these questions, chances are your aging relative needs help with household chores.
-
- 5. Driving Safety Issues: Are you worried about your aging loved one’s driving abilities? Are there scratches or dents on the car or several traffic tickets? These driving safety issues may be a result of cognitive impairment and diminished motor capabilities due to aging. If you feel that your parent or aging relative can no longer drive safely, you have to find a way to get him or her to stop driving.
-
- 6. Weight Loss: Has your mom, dad or aging relative been losing weight? Is it a sudden weight loss? If yes, then it might be an indication that the seniors is not eating. This may be due to decreased in appetite, loss of ability to do grocery shopping or to prepare and cook their own food. However, for some seniors, weight loss may be attributed to memory loss, which results to skipping meals or forgetting to eat.
-
- 7. Money Management Assistance: When visiting your aging relative, do you notice tons of bills on the counter, receipts for large charitable donations, calls or final notices from creditors? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, chances are your elderly loved one needs help in managing his or her finances.
-
- 8. Issues with Medication: Proper medication is important for seniors who have medical conditions. When visiting your aging relative, do you notice any expired medicine bottles or unfilled prescriptions? If you do, this may be a sign that your aging loved one is no longer able to manage his or her own medications properly.
-
- 9. Inability to Communicate: Does your aging love one experience difficulties in communicating their feelings and emotions? If yes, then it might be a sign that your elderly loved one is starting to lose the sharpness she or he once had.
- 10. Depression : Depression affects everyone, including seniors. However, the warning signs of senior depression can be different than younger adults, which make it harder to identify. Decrease in interests in things your aging relative once loved, moodiness, lack of appetite, fatigue and other behavioral changes are some signs of depression.
Which One To Choose!
Assisted Living vs Nursing Homes
Video
Assisted Living Vs Nursing Homes
Watch the video to learn the main difference between Assisted Living and Nursing Homes.
AL vs NH
1st Main Difference
2nd Main Differences
3rd Main Differences
4th Main Difference