As we age, more severe health problems start to become more common. Unfortunately, the most common tend to regard brain health rather than a physical health problem. Issues like cognitive impairment or memory impairment can be caused by many sources. Some of these causes can be reversed with treatment. However, some, like Alzheimer’s, can only be treated for the symptoms since there is no current cure.
Symptoms of Memory Impairment
When an elderly person is suffering from memory impairment, they may appear, at first, as to having trouble remembering small things or having difficulty speaking. The National Institute on Aging states it is crucial at this point to seek a physician to test for the cause of the impairment. While people may be hesitant to find the diagnosis, there are far more advantages to learning what to expect that there are disadvantages. Additionally, failure to have the severe issues diagnosed can complicate matters when treating underlying diseases and comorbid conditions. We also must consider the fact most cognitive and memory impairments tend to worsen over time, so an earlier diagnosis is crucial to staying ahead of the progression.
What to Do
Once a diagnosis has been made, the senior will require special attention from either a primary care physician or a family caregiver. Despite wanting to help, some families may be unable or unprepared for handling the needs of someone suffering from cognitive impairment. Treatment for seniors have advanced over the years, and more and more care options are available to seniors.
Ways to Help
To start the search, many assisted living communities focus on providing memory care in addition to helping with the daily routines of their residents. These specific memory care communities tend to offer the same amenities that the assisted living communities do, though they may differ in some details like providing ways to calm the anxiety caused by memory impairment. These amenities include private apartments and all-day nursing care.
There are ways that you could help your loved ones as well. There are a number of activities that focus on improving memory, which can be performed with your help. Some of them is discussing old, shared memories, going on nature walks and reading the newspaper. This can help to solidify important memories by invoking them with the discussion or using the various sounds, sights, and smells of nature to gently bring their memories out. It’s essential to help the senior in your life strengthen their memory as much as you can.
At Woodland Ridge, our assisted living is home to several experts skilled in providing care for the seniors living in their community. The staff works hard to provide care for the seniors including memory care. Our team is trained to aid in memory care by providing the residents with access to their programs designed to assist in treating the symptoms of the impairment.
Our memory program is known as the “Friends for Life” program, which features some different subprograms. Each of these subprograms involve the staff getting to know your loved ones at a personal level to learn their most crucial memories and help to recreate them. This helps to solidify those important moments in their memory. They also involve using a routine to create an understanding of familiarity. This will allow the residents to develop a sense of independence while still allowing them to be cared for.
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