The journey through Alzheimer’s can take years, with stops and starts, twists and turns, and plenty of unknowns. As the caregiver for someone with dementia, it’s important to know what may be coming around the next bend so that you can be prepared and provide the most appropriate level of care. While each person experiences Alzheimer’s uniquely, there are some commonalities to each stage.
Here's what you may find in a senior who enters the last stage of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Challenges with eating and swallowing
- Difficulty walking or no longer able to walk
- An increased vulnerability to illnesses
- The need for full-time care and support
The best way to support the senior is through preserving dignity and improving quality of life. Think of ways to engage the person’s senses that are meaningful and personal, such as by:
- Listening to favorite music together
- Reading aloud
- Looking through photo albums
- Preparing the person’s favorite foods
- Applying lotion with a pleasant scent – lavender and vanilla are especially soothing
- Being outdoors together when weather permits
- Brushing the senior’s hair
Our dementia care team is here to walk with you through the last stage of Alzheimer’s. Our highly skilled and experienced caregivers can help through a wide range of services such as:
- Providing companionship for the senior and engaging in activities like those above
- Planning and preparing meals according to the senior’s preferences
- Taking care of light household chores and laundry
- Running errands, such as grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions
- Personal care to assist with bathing, getting dressed, and other hygiene needs
- A full range of skilled nursing care services, such as:
- Administering medications
- Pain and symptom management
- Vital signs and monitoring
- Catheter care
- Palliative care
- Care management visits to oversee care
- Advocacy and mediation
- 24/7/365 on-call support for emergencies
- And much more
Our award-winning care staff will develop a personalized plan of care based on the senior’s particular needs and wishes, all according to your preferred schedule and routine. By partnering with your family, we can help alleviate the stress that is inherent to serving as a family caregiver. This is vitally important for your own health and wellbeing, as well as that of the senior in your care.
Contact us at 519.915.4370 for an in-home assessment to discover more about our Alzheimer’s care in Windsor, Ontario and the surrounding areas. Together, we can ensure the highest quality of life for a senior in the last stage of Alzheimer’s, while allowing your family the time needed for self-care. We’re here for as much or as little support as you need, any time.
