Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Shaun is receiving a Caregiver Award today for doing work above and beyond. Shaun is highly skilled; compassionate and always ready to help out the Office Team! We appreciate that Shaun brings his wonderful smile and joy to our senior clients! Shaun will receive a bonus for this award. Thank you Shaun! We are so happy you are on the team!
Month: October 2020
Strategies for Handling Personality Changes with Dementia
If your elderly loved one has dementia, they are going to experience personality changes. At the early stages of this disease, you might not notice a lot of changes in your elderly loved one. However, as time goes on and the disease progresses, your elderly loved one will have more personality changes. With this being said, you might need to know how to handle the personality changes that your elderly loved one experiences. This guide can help you with this process.
Checking to See What Needs Aren’t Met
Some of the personality changes that your elderly loved one experiences might be related to unmet needs. There could be a wide range of things that your elderly loved one needs. Some of the things that you or the senior care provider should check for include the following:
- Infections
- Medication side effects
- Pain or discomfort
- Social structure changes
- Emotional needs
- Psychological needs
- Hunger and/or thirst
If you and/or the senior care providers have met all of your elderly loved one’s needs, but there are still issues, you can also check for triggers.
Checking for Triggers
With dementia, there is often something that is triggering the personality changes. There is a specific way that you and senior care providers can check for triggers with your elderly loved one. This process includes the following:
- Describing what is happening or has happened (this might tell you what is going on)
- Investigating potential causes (based on what has happened, what may have triggered the changes)
- Creating a plan (after determining the trigger, what plan can help?)
- Evaluating that plan (Go through that plan to ensure it will, in fact, help your loved one)
If you go through this process, you can help to determine what triggered your elderly loved one’s personality changes.
Harmful Changes
In some instances, the personality changes that someone with dementia experiences are harmful. For instance, if they become severely depressed, this could increase the risk of suicide or other harmful behaviors. If you or the senior care providers suspect that your loved one’s personality changes are harmful, it is important to get them the help they need as soon as possible.
Conclusion
These are some of the strategies for handling personality changes with dementia. If your elderly loved one experiences personality changes, be sure to follow these tips. By doing so, you could help your elderly loved one to feel better.
Sources
https://alzheimers.med.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Personality-and-Behavior-Change.pdf
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring senior care in Mesa, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Congratulations Patty on The Gold Nugget Award!
Golden Heart is proud to announce Patty with the Office Team, has been awarded a Gold Nugget Award. Patty manages all scheduling including the delicate dance of serving clients’ needs and caregivers’ desired schedules. Patty does a great job of making things happen. Patty will receive a bonus for this award. Congratulations Patty!
Long-Term Care Planning Month: Do Your Parents Have a Plan for Years to Come?
Many “national month of” events take place in October. Long-Term Care Planning Month is one that your family should talk about. If your parents haven’t talked to you about future plans with aging in place, you need to sit down as a family and talk about it.
Are There Legal Concerns to Address?
One of the first places to start is with legal permissions. When it comes to medical and financial matters, it can be hard to take over bill paying, account management, or help with medical decisions without powers of attorney in place for finances and medical.
Your mom and dad’s doctors cannot discuss medical tests and information without HIPAA permissions in place. Make sure your parents have set things up so that you are legally able to help out. Get legal permissions in place to make sure there are no issues with future care.
Could Their House Become Too Much for Them?
Do your parents have a one-level home or an old farmhouse with multiple floors? If they have multiple floors, how would they get up and down the stairs if mobility was impacted after a fall, stroke, or another health issue? Talk about their desires for aging at home.
You may be able to move a bedroom downstairs to the main level. If the bathrooms are upstairs and the kitchen is on the main level, there could be an issue that’s better resolved by adding a stairlift or downsizing to one-level living.
Is There a Family History That Puts Them in Risk of Certain Chronic Conditions?
If there is a family history of diabetes, that increases the odds that your mom or dad will also have diabetes. If there’s a family history of breast cancer, there’s the chance that your mom will also face it. If she does, you need to have come up with home care plans during her recovery.
How Is Their Overall Stamina and Strength?
For now, your parents’ mobility and energy levels may be fine. It may not stay that way. They may start to have a hard time walking up and down the stairs. They may have a hard time standing for 30 minutes while cooking dinner. As abilities change, the need for assistance increases.
Who Is Nearby For Emergency Situations?
Does anyone live close enough to help out? If not, are your parents willing to let caregivers come to their home and help?
Caregivers are an important tool in aging at home. Your parents have a caregiver to rely on for assistance with daily activities. You don’t have to quit your job, ignore your own needs to provide that care. Talk to a specialist to discuss the many ways caregivers can help your parents in the coming months and years.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring caregivers in Apache Junction, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Meet Laurie Malone | Managing Partner & CEO – SHOUTOUT ARIZONA
Laurie Malone has been recognized by Shoutout Arizona! https://shoutoutarizona.com/meet-laurie-malone-managing-partner-ceo/
Congratulations Fatima On your Caregiver Award!
Golden Heart is very pleased to announce that Fatima has been awarded the coveted Caregiver Award! Fatima’s clients rave about her care; she cheerfully picks up extra shifts and works very well with the Office Team. Fatima will receive a bonus for this award. Congratulations Fatima and thank you for your hard work!