Categories: Lifestyle

Dementia Care – Making Sure Your Loved One Is In The Right Hands

As your loved one’s Dementia worsens, caring for them on your own is difficult. They now require more medical attention than you can provide.

Even if you have medical training, Caregiving puts a lot of pressure on you and your family. The emotional toll of caring for your ailing loved one can weigh heavy on your shoulders.

But do you have to send them to a nursing home or hospital to get the assistance you need? Before you reach your breaking point, it may be time to investigate the alternatives. At-home Dementia Care can provide ‘round the clock health care to ensure your loved one ages in place comfortably.

IMAGE: PEXELS

What To Look For In At-Home Dementia Care Services

You only want the best home health care professionals looking after your family, but with so much to consider, you may not know what you’re looking for.

This list is here to help. Keep scrolling to find out what you should consider when looking for at-home Dementia Care services.

1. Trained Professionals

Dementia Care looks different for every client, and it may need to evolve as the disease progresses. For at-home care to be successful, it must involve trained professionals who can help with any task, at any stage of the disease.

You should only consider services that have the following professionals on staff:

Personal Support Workers (PSWs)
Registered Nurses (RNs)
Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs)
Medical Advocates
Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs)
Registered Physiotherapists
Companions

Together, these professionals provide holistic care for your loved one — from taking care of their medical needs and helping them dress to providing massage therapy to ease pain and anxiety.

2. Compassionate Care

Medical assistance represents the bare minimum you should expect from any health care service. When these health care professionals are looking after your loved one day and night, you need to know they’re in good hands, emotionally as well as physically.

Look for services that strive for joyful, comfortable at-home living with Dementia. They should provide compassionate, educated assistance at all times, fostering independence when possible.

3. Collaborative Approach

Just because you require assistance doesn’t mean you want to step away completely from your loved one’s care. A home health care provider should understand your desire to remain involved in your loved one’s life and health. They should accommodate for varying levels of involvement, including you as much or as little as you want.

For those families who can’t be involved as much as they want due to time or distance, the best home health providers can step in as advocates, filling in any gaps in care when visiting a hospital or lab centre.

4. Stellar Reputation

Don’t take the home health care provider’s word on its own. Compare what they say they do on their website with what past clients have to say. You can ask for references from a service or simply go online to read reviews.

While it’s always a good idea to read online reviews with a grain of salt, these notes give you a different perspective of the services offered. Good or bad, they can help you compare options, especially if you’re stuck between two similar services. You can use these ratings as a tiebreaker.

5. Third-Party Recognition

Another great way to find the best care for your loved one is by looking for providers who have won awards. Additionally, professional partnerships with third-party organizations, such as your local Alzheimer’s or Dementia Society, suggests the provider in question has the best intentions for their clients.

Keep these things in mind as you compare your options. They’ll help you find an at-home Dementia Care provider who keeps your loved one safe and comfortable.