Watching your parent's memory slip away day by day is not easy. Dementia can seem to be a strange disease because you might not be able to tell what your parent will and will not remember. Memory care facilities are set up to help people with dementia and similar conditions, but you may be unsure about when it's a viable option for your own parent. Do any of these scenarios seem familiar?
Your Parent Forgets Daily Medications
You might have already gotten your parent some pill boxes with the days marked on them. You might have already put their pills into the boxes for them. However, when you take a look, are most of the medications still there? This is a forgetfulness issue, but it can also be a health issue. If your parent can no longer be trusted to handle their own medical needs--especially if they have serious heart or lung conditions--memory care facilities might be something to start talking about.
Your Parent Wanders or Behaves in Unsafe Ways
Wandering senior citizens is something that's very much associated with dementia. If your parent is unlocking the front door and venturing out into the night, not only is that terrifying on a personal level but they're putting themselves at risk. You might find yourself wondering if you have to put a lock on their bedroom door. Instead, try to meet with someone from a memory care facility; staff can monitor your parent's movements so that they're safe at all times.
Your Parent Lacks Routine
You might think that routine isn't that big of a deal. Your schedule might not allow you to be highly involved with the times at which your parent eats or bathes. In fact, you might not realize how beneficial it could be for your parent if they had a rigid routine. However, the stability of a schedule where they do the same thing at the exact time no matter what day it is can be soothing. If you can't create a full day's schedule to adhere to, try to develop a morning or evening routine.
Admitting that your parent needs the kind of care available in memory care facilities isn't always simple. However, realizing that these facilities can give your parent a full life full of activities and whatever help they need will help. Visit these facilities so you understand how specifically their assistance will improve your parent's life.
