Transporting a Dementia Patient in to Care-givers Home
Moving a Person with Dementia into a Caregiver’s Home
Moving can be difficult for the individual(s) who will be moving a person with dementia to their home.
There are many things to consider before moving an older adult into your home, including, but certainly not limited to, what affect this change will have on your life-style, relationships and finances. There are also emotional issues to consider.
Consider living arrangements.
Do you have enough room for your loved one? Will you have a private space that you can personalize for them? Do you need to make safety enhancements to protect you loved one?
You will need to consider financial issues. What new expenses will you have? Can your loved one pay for these? If not, will it burden you financially? Are other family members able and willing to help with expenses?
There will be changes to your daily routines. Will you or another family member be available to provide assistance? Will the primary caregiver be available to take this person to medical and other appointments? Will you and other family members feel comfortable providing required daily care and be able to cope with changes in privacy?
Because moving can be extremely stressful, the number of moves should be minimized as much as possible. Family members need to try to anticipate the future needs of the person with dementia. For example, a person with dementia may eventually need help with bathing and toileting. Will you be able to provide this type of care or hire a paid caregiver as their needs increase?
Moving can be a challenge for anyone, but for a person with dementia it becomes even more difficult. A person with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia might not be able to recognize that it is time to move. Planning a move and giving choices to the person with dementia can be especially complicated for the family.
When to Move
The best time to move a person with dementia is when they are stable. An illness or hospital stay may make it difficult for a person with dementia to cope with a move and adjust to new surroundings. However, in many cases, moving only becomes necessary after a person has suffered a serious illness or injury.
Giving Choices
A person with dementia who is forced to move may not adjust as well as a person with dementia who has been involved in the decision making process. Be honest and provide as much information as appropriate.
People with dementia who have been tricked into moving may become agitated and suspicious. Involve the person as much as possible, depending on their ability to participate. Giving the person with dementia some choices and control of their situation can make moving an easier process. However, for some, too much involvement may induce stress. They may become extremely upset or confused if family members talk about the move. Family members should be empowered to make necessary decisions, even when they’re tough and may be met with anger and resistance from the person with dementia. If there’s someone besides the primary caregiver who is trusted by the person with dementia, i.e. other family member, friend, religious leader, it may be good to involve them in discussing the move with the person with dementia. Families may even find it helpful in some cases to tell the person with dementia that the doctor has ordered the move.
Planning Before the Move
Family members should meet ahead of time to discuss the move and their needs and the needs of the person with dementia. Habits and rituals of the person with dementia should be considered to determine the best way to care for the person and to minimize confusion. Familiar objects such as a favorite easy chair, familiar decorations or pictures can help make the person feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. Labeling different areas of the home or things within a room with signs can help the person with dementia become familiar with the layout of their new home. It is also important to keep in mind the habits and routines of everyone in the household. It may be necessary for the family to make some changes in their lifestyles in order to better accommodate the person with dementia. It will be confusing enough for them to live in unfamiliar surroundings without also suddenly having to change everything about their lives.
Moving Day
It’s best to move the person with dementia at a time of day when he or she is at their “best”. Moving can be stressful and trigger anxiety for anyone. It may be beneficial to the family and the person with dementia for other family members or friends to take the person out for the day while other family members complete the move. It is often best to have everything in its place before introducing the new space to your loved one.
After the move
It is important for family members to maintain an optimistic attitude in order to encourage the person with dementia to view the move as positive. Telling the person with dementia “I’m glad you came to live here, now we can spend more time together” can help to make them feel welcome, safe and secure. Family members may need to spend extra time with their loved one to help them adjust to the new environment. Be aware that you may see a decline in your loved one after the move. They may suffer from temporary sleep problems, wandering, falls and appetite changes. Any change can be unsettling and it may take some time for them to adjust. Be patient and flexible.
Dementia is a collective term used to describe various symptoms of cognitive decline, such as forgetfulness. It is a symptom of several underlying diseases and brain disorders.
Dementia is not a single disease in itself, but a general term to describe symptoms of impairment in memory, communication, and thinking.
While the likelihood of having dementia increases with age, it is not a normal part of aging.
An analysis of the most recent census estimates that 4.7 million people aged 65 years or older in the United States were living with Alzheimer's disease in 2010. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that:
- Just over a tenth of people aged 65 years or more have Alzheimer's disease
- This proportion rises to about a third of people aged 85 and older
- Alzheimer's accounts for 60-80 percent of all cases of dementia
This article discusses the potential causes of dementia, the various types, and any available treatments.
Fast facts on dementia
- there are an estimated 47.5 million dementia sufferers worldwide
- one new case of dementia is diagnosed every 4 seconds
- dementia mostly affects older people but is not a normal part of aging
Dementia symptoms
Dementia symptoms include memory loss, disorientation, and mood changes.
A person with dementia may show any of the symptoms listed below, mostly due to memory loss.
Some symptoms they may notice themselves, others may only be noticed by caregivers or healthcare workers.
The signs used to compile this list are published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in the journal American Family Physician.
Possible symptoms of dementia:
- Recent memory loss - a sign of this might be asking the same question repeatedly.
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks - for example, making a drink or cooking a meal.
- Problems communicating - difficulty with language; forgetting simple words or using the wrong ones.
- Disorientation - getting lost on a previously familiar street, for example.
- Problems with abstract thinking - for instance, dealing with money.
- Misplacing things - forgetting the location of everyday items such as keys, or wallets, for example.
- Mood changes - sudden and unexplained changes in outlook or disposition.
- Personality changes - perhaps becoming irritable, suspicious or fearful.
- Loss of initiative - showing less interest in starting something or going somewhere.
As the patient ages, late-stage dementia symptoms tend to worsen.
Dementia stages
Sometimes, dementia is roughly split into four stages:
Mild cognitive impairment: characterized by general forgetfulness. This affects many people as they age but it only progresses to dementia for some.
Mild dementia: people with mild dementia will experience cognitive impairments that occasionally impact their daily life. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, personality changes, getting lost, and difficulty in planning and carrying out tasks.
Moderate dementia: daily life becomes more challenging, and the individual may need more help. Symptoms are similar to mild dementia but increased. Individuals may need help getting dressed and combing their hair. They may also show significant changes in personality; for instance, becoming suspicious or agitated for no reason. There are also likely to be sleep disturbances.
Severe dementia: at this stage, symptoms have worsened considerably. There may be a loss of ability to communicate, and the individual might need full-time care. Simple tasks, such as sitting and holding one's head up become impossible. Bladder control may be lost.
Dementia types
There are several types of dementia, including:
- Alzheimer's disease is characterized by "plaques" between the dying cells in the brain and "tangles" within the cells (both are due to protein abnormalities). The brain tissue in a person with Alzheimer's has progressively fewer nerve cells and connections, and the total brain size shrinks.
- Dementia with Lewy bodies is a neurodegenerative condition linked to abnormal structures in the brain. The brain changes involve a protein called alpha-synuclein.
- Mixed dementia refers to a diagnosis of two or three types occurring together. For instance, a person may show both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia at the same time.
- Parkinson's disease is also marked by the presence of Lewy bodies. Although Parkinson's is often considered a disorder of movement, it can also lead to dementia symptoms.
- Huntington's disease is characterized by specific types of uncontrolled movements but also includes dementia.
Other disorders leading to symptoms of dementia include:
- Frontotemporal dementia also known as Pick's disease.
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus when excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain.
- Posterior cortical atrophy resembles changes seen in Alzheimer's disease but in a different part of the brain.
- Down syndrome increases the likelihood of young-onset Alzheimer's.
Early signs
Early signs of dementia can include:
- Changes in short-term memory.
- Changes in mood.
- Trouble finding the right words.
- Apathy.
- Confusion.
- Being repetitive.
- Finds it hard to follow a storyline.
- Trouble completing everyday tasks.
- Poor sense of direction.
- Difficulty adapting to changes.
Dementia causes
Dementias can be caused by brain cell death, and neurodegenerative disease -progressive brain cell death that happens over time - is associated with most dementias.
However it is not known if the dementia causes the brain cell death, or the brain cell death causes the dementia.