How Memory Care Facilities Support Family Caregivers
Coping with the physical, social and financial hurdles of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia can be overwhelming. Oftentimes, being a family caregiver becomes an all-consuming and highly demanding role, not to mention an emotionally challenging one.
Seniors with dementia tend to require a higher level of care than other elderly relatives. As their disease progresses, they may need strict supervision and assistance with activities of daily living like dressing, washing, eating and using the bathroom.
Many caregivers who support a loved one with dementia find themselves sacrificing other important aspects of their lives, including relationships, friendships, career progression or social commitments. It’s no surprise, then, that family members who care for loved ones with dementia are at a heightened risk of stress, depression, anxiety, and physical health issues.
We Care About Caregivers
As a family caregiver, making the decision to move your loved one to a specialist memory care facility can be tough. It’s common to worry about whether your loved one will settle into their new home, and how they will cope without you being constantly by their side.
Ultimately, though, a good memory care facility often provides the perfect solution for both seniors and family caregivers. Here are just 5 of many ways memory care communities in San Antonio offer much needed support for family caregivers.
- Providing expert care for specialist needs. Caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is tough, and their needs are often ever-changing. As a family caregiver, it can be difficult to keep up and know how to provide for your loved one best, particularly if they develop challenging behavioral issues because of their disease progression. Professional caregivers who specialize in memory care understand the dynamic needs of individuals with dementia, and can provide the consistent, quality care they deserve.
- Empowering you to live your life. Many family caregivers find themselves progressively sacrificing more of their own lifestyle to meet the evolving care needs of their loved one. If you’re struggling to take care of your relatives while also balancing time with your children, partner or friends, or if you’re no longer able to perform at work, memory care in San Antonio could be a perfect compromise to preserve your quality of life, while simultaneously improving that of your loved one.
- Sharing valuable knowledge. Coping with the uncertainties that dementia presents can be tough for family caregivers. You might have found yourself shocked by new behaviors like sundowning, or struggling to cope with intense emotional changes or increased memory loss and confusion in your loved one. Many of these challenges can come on suddenly and without warning. Expert caregivers at your loved one’s memory care facility will be on hand to help you better understand and cope with the process, which can be even more tough for loved ones than seniors themselves. For example, your relative’s memory care facility may educate you on how to communicate effectively with your parent or loved one, so you can continue to share precious moments together for as long as possible.
- Granting you peace of mind. From a practical perspective, memory care facilities provide an invaluable service for families. As conditions like Alzheimer’s disease progress and more difficult symptoms like sundowning, wandering and severe memory loss present, individuals typically require round-the-clock care to protect their health and safety. As we’ve already touched upon, it’s often impossible for family caregivers to provide the time and level of care that seniors with advancing dementia require. Inevitably, this might leave you feeling constantly worried when you’re unable to be with your loved one. Knowing your relative is being supported 24/7 could grant you the reduced anxiety and precious peace of mind you deserve.
- Offering social support. Many family caregivers of individuals with dementia experience feelings of loneliness, and may become increasingly isolated as their loved one’s health deteriorates. And with dementia caregivers typically spending longer on their loved one’s care per day than most, it can be difficult to find time to socialize. When your loved one is welcomed into a memory care facility like ours, you will become part of the community, too. Many family caregivers form strong friendships with professional caregivers, as well as the families of other residents who can relate to their journey. So, if you need to sit down and talk over your worries with a cup of coffee, your memory care community will be there for you.
Memory care facilities offer much needed practical, social and emotional support for the dedicated family caregivers of individuals with dementia. We understand the sacrifices family members make for their loved one’s well being, and we’re here to help provide the support you need and deserve.
Moving a loved one to memory care can be a tough decision to make, but a good community will offer so much more than quality dementia care. As memory care experts, we fully empathize with family caregivers, and pride ourselves on being there to offer a listening ear and valuable support throughout the journey.
To find out more about how our memory care facility works to support family caregivers, get in touch and arrange a tour today.
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