Your aging father had once commented that he never wanted to move into a ‘home.’ That’s probably what he called it, most likely thinking about a different type of facility, not assisted living. So, when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the last thing you wanted to consider was having him move into a facility for proper care.
What you did was try to be his primary caregiver. Maybe your mother, stepmother, or somebody else in the family was also assisting, but it became far more difficult than you ever thought it would be.
In the beginning, shortly after diagnosis, a person with Alzheimer’s may still be able to tend to most of their basic needs without support. Your father may have been in the same situation.
Perhaps he only needed a few reminders. Maybe some transportation to get to the grocery store or to visit a friend or to go to a doctor’s appointment.
Yet, as time progressed, you began to realize how challenging Alzheimer’s can be. It was starting to overwhelm you and everyone else in the family. That’s when a friend or somebody else you knew suggested assisted living.
Then those original memories came back.
Assisted Living Pascagoula, AL: Alzheimer’s Assisted Living
You kept hearing him say, ‘I just don’t want to be moved into a home.’ But there you were, contemplating that very thing. In reality, though, assisted living is not the same thing as what most people consider ‘a home.’
Your father, and many other aging seniors, imagine a nursing home, not assisted living, when they use that phrase. Assisted living is completely different.
Memory care assisted living goes even a step further because it provides experienced support and staff who can assist elderly residents who are dealing with memory related challenges, like Alzheimer’s.
This is a wonderful choice.
Perhaps these days your father has progressed to the point where he can no longer make reasoned, rational choices for himself. He might even be experiencing moments of outrage, frustration, anxiety, and outbursts.
These can be extremely difficult for family and loved ones to handle. You also may not be able to provide the type of care and for however long he needs it each day that would keep him safe.
Don’t think of assisted living as a last resort; the more you learn about memory care assisted living, the more you realize it truly is one of the better options for those seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
About Cindy Johnson
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