Can Assisted Living in Mobile, AL Benefit Alzheimer’s Care?

August 20, 2014 by ·

A common question that people have when trying to determine proper Alzheimer’s care for their loved one is whether they should encourage them to stay home or if they should look into assisted living. The initial reaction of patients who are diagnosed with this devastating disease is to want to stay home for the rest of their life. They plead with their family to promise them that they will never be moved to a nursing home, or other facility.Assisted Living Mobile AL

At the time, when the patient is cogent and has most of his or her faculties, this is generally an easy promise to make. Yet over time, as more symptoms begin to show, as the patient becomes more frustrated and agitated due to confusion and memory loss, the family begins to realize just how severe or significant it is trying care for them.

It is usually within a couple of years that the family members begin to question their promise, especially their ability to keep it. So they begin to talk amongst themselves about other options, including assisted living and nursing homes. For these people, they usually learn quickly that nursing home care is generally reserved for those individuals who require a significant amount of direct medical assistance. That may usually be the Alzheimer’s patient who is in the latter stages of the disease.

The other option is assisted living. If the family is unwilling or unable to hire a caregiver with experience working with this disease to come to the home, or it is too much of an inconvenience for them, assisted living is certainly an option. The main aspect to consider regarding Alzheimer’s care and assisted living is that when the patient is unfamiliar with his or her surroundings during times when their memory fails them, it can lead to fear and anxiety. This can lead to frustration and anger.

Assisted living can be highly beneficial for some Alzheimer’s patients. However, the sooner that the patient moves into an assisted living facility, the better it will be for them in the long run. The problem is that most patients want to stay home for as long as possible. This creates a difficult situation or conundrum for family members. How early is soon enough?

If it is clear that the Alzheimer’s patient will not be able to stay at home when the disease progresses, then it’s time to consider moving into assisted living as soon as possible. The most important thing is the level of care that the patient receives, so if they can’t get the highest quality care at home, then they should consider other options.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living in Mobile AL, at 251-317-3017.

Filed Under: Assisted Living Mobile AL · Tagged:
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
Google Verified Author