Families with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia are painfully aware of the challenges that accompany the condition. Memory loss, confusion, balance issues, aggravation, and other symptoms don’t just affect the patient, they can also create overwhelm for the family.

If you’ve been the family caregiver, you’ve probably already experienced many of these, including recognition issues. Balancing care for your family member with other responsibilities like work, shopping, or other errands can prove quite overwhelming. Depending on their stage of decline, leaving them alone to quickly do something could be unsafe, but taking them with you might result in a scene if they suddenly become disoriented or don’t recognize you and don’t feel safe. You may have already enlisted family, friends, and neighbors to help fill in or take literal shifts to spread out the demands of care. We understand the emotional and physical challenges faced by both the person with dementia and their family.

With training and experience to navigate those with dementia through various stages of confusion, irritability, and disorientation, our caregivers help minimize any sense they may have of being unsafe. For the families of those with dementia, we help them feel assured their loved one is receiving proper care, allowing them to focus on errands, jobs, other family members, or even self-care. We’ve also found that the music therapy and other cognitive exercises our caregivers are certified in have helped create more moments of clarity and recognition when spending time together with family. 

[TESTIMONIAL VIDEO – Imagine someone saying this: “When I found out my wife, Heather,  had Lewy Body Dementia, I discontinued work and started taking early social security. The days I was ‘me’ went fairly smoothly, but days where she didn’t recognize me were quite overwhelming for both of us. It was difficult to get her to go along with taking medication, going with me to the store, or even sleeping. She would object to taking medication from a stranger or even refuse to go to bed with a stranger in the home. Sometimes hopping in to take a quick shower was too long to leave Heather alone, as she would decide to leave the house and be found by a neighbor.

When we found ABC Home Care and started having  Rachel come each day, I wondered why I didn’t do this sooner! Between Rachel helping create some albums with gathered memories, doing some music and motion activities with Heather, and playing several cognitive games with her, we’ve experienced a significant improvement. The moments of failing to recognize me are fewer, and there isn’t nearly as much frustration during those times she becomes disoriented because I’ve seen Rachel and know from her example how to get through those situations better.

I’ve also been able to return to work, not worrying about Heather’s safety, and can take care of other responsibilities in the home without stressing about if she was going to wonder off or call the cops on me – the stranger in the home. ABC Home Care has given Heather more moments where the disease doesn’t appear to have taken over, and me more relief and sleep.” ]

Since 20##, we’ve been fortunate to help over ### other families experiencing the same struggles and challenges of dementia as Dave and Heather.  There are two main motivators for us when it comes to helping those with Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body, or other forms of dementia:

• Helping them have more moments of clarity or doing all we can to slow the effects. 
• Taking on the challenges for a family so they can focus more on loving the person with dementia, instead of becoming overwhelmed with them by the disease.