The realization that you or a family members' mental or physical state is in a decline can be very hard to accept. With most forms of grieving, there is a phase of denial or disbelief when it comes to accepting these declines. Dementia, Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, depression, anxiety, are just a few of the conditions that can cause such declines. However, memory loss and loss of physical ability are also things often associated with getting older, regardless of a diagnosis. We at The Promised Land Adult Family home have worked with and Cared for all of these listed conditions and understand the process of not only how to care for the individual experiencing these conditions, but also their family and friends. We look past the condition someone may have, and try to see the heart in everyone to truly understand their needs
It is not easy deciding that you or your loved one needs more help with their daily life from sources such as a nursing home, assisted living facility, or an Adult Family Home such as The Promised Land. That being said, prompt action is often the best thing to do in situations like these. From our experience, patients do much better and show significantly greater mental and physical retention compared to those who wait too long. Everyone situation is different so these do not apply to everyone. Some examples of this is those who allow themselves to wait too long are those who postpone care until the impaired person has a significant fall that could have been prevented with the proper monitoring, transfer techniques, and care. A fall to you or your loved one may seem insignificant, but in our experience, those over the age of 80 years old rarely recover to full capacity after they have experienced a physical (broken bones, contusions, tears, etc.) or brain injury (concussion, brain bleed, etc.) which are common elderly falls. This loss of ability can lead to further decline and loss of ability till it reaches terminal condition. With proper care from the start, these incidents have a better chance at being avoided or recovered from if the injury has already occurred.
Another issue with postponing action to progressively fight these degenerative conditions is the lack of the implementation of exercises, routines, and various therapy techniques that can be used in facilities such as The Promised Land Adult Family Home or other nursing home type facilities. The swift action to nip decline in the bud will not only help slow the decline, but also in some ways improve ones condition. I am not saying by any means we can miraculously cure a mental or physical ailment such as dementia, but we can certainly help one retain their mental and physical abilities by following the proper care regimens. With the proper care, we have seen people on bed rest/hospice situations regain strength and retain their physical and mental strength for years following. The hospice social worker that tended to this resident was amazed to see how healthy she has stayed for so many years following the time some health professionals considered her to be terminal. With the right care techniques dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer, memory loss and many other ailments progression can be fought and held off for many years.
Often the most difficult aspect of accepting you or your loved one is declining is accepting that they (or you) are a burden that your family can no longer bare on their own. There is a great amount of guilt that comes with this feeling, and that is very understandable because you do want to care for your family as best you can. That being said, sometimes your work, lifestyle, own physical health, age, and many other things can factor into your inability to care for yourself or your family member any longer. Although these feelings are natural and common in situations like these, it is also good to see that providing your loved one with the best care possible will not only lighten your strain, but also improve their standards of life, health and care. We do not condone abandoning your loved one into a facility such as a nursing home or memory care facility because family is important and frequent visitations help reassure them that they are loved and cared about not only by their caregivers, but also their family.
At The Promised Land Adult Family Home, we try to make everyone staying with us feel as if they are home and part of our family because we truly do care about every person who walks through our doors. Even if memories fade in those impacted by dementia or other ailments, emotions are still felt. Compassion, love, and nurturing is essential in the continuation of their life, happiness and health.
The Promised Land Adult Family Home
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