The Power of Memory Care in Managing Dementia

Did you know that nearly six million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020? To some, this may seem like a startling statistic. To those with a loved one affected by the disease, however, it can feel all too familiar. The prevalence of this condition continues to increase and is projected to affect more than 14 million people by the year 2060. More troubling, still: Alzheimer’s is just one manifestation of dementia, with other varieties including vascular, frontotemporal, and Lewy body, among others. Dementia is a cruel affliction. It can be difficult to diagnose, its onset can be difficult to detect, and it can affect much more than a person’s memory (the symptom with which it is most commonly associated).

Not only can it rob someone of precious memories of family and a well-lived life, but it can make everyday life more difficult by affecting mood, behavior, communication skills, judgment, and more. If your loved one has dementia, you have probably witnessed a combination of these challenges. You may feel concerned about their ability to live a safe and comfortable life – a fear made worse if you do not have the time, proximity, or bandwidth to provide them with the care they need. Not only that, but their forgetfulness or altered behavior can be hurtful or frustrating.

If your loved one suffers from dementia, there are two important things you should know:

1)     You should not feel guilty about your emotional reactions to their condition. While dementia can make life scary and confusing for your loved one, it can also have a profound emotional effect on those near and dear to them. You have every right to experience these emotions.

2)     Things can get better. While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or most other forms of dementia, residential memory care can improve their personal safety and quality of life considerably through supervision, therapy, and symptom management.

How can residential memory care help manage dementia?

There is an unfortunate stigma that moving a loved one to a senior living community with memory care offerings means they are being abandoned or becoming “someone else’s problem.” When you choose a qualified, high-quality community, this is simply not the case. In fact, you may be doing them a disservice (or even putting them at increased risk) by not exploring this option. Properly looking after a person with dementia requires both professional training and an immense time commitment. If you do not possess these things, their quality of life will likely suffer.

Each case of dementia is different, even within the same condition. Alzheimer’s disease has varying stages of severity, and the symptoms of each vary from person to person. The right memory care community has trained and qualified staff available 24/7 who are familiar with how to handle each case. Through therapeutic efforts and specialized services, these aides can zero in on a resident’s strengths and skills. Doing so helps them interact with the resident effectively and determine what actions can be taken to help them get the most out of every day. They also provide security measures to prevent injuries or wandering.

Just because someone is living with dementia does not mean they need to live life in the dark. If you would like to learn more about a memory care option with secure living options in Freeport, call WinnPrairie today at 815-656-4800 or contact us online.