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Discerning whether an aging loved one has crossed the line from the normal forgetfulness and missteps of advanced age into the dangerous realm of Alzheimer’s or dementia can be a difficult task, made more-so by the fact that many elders wish to continue independent living past the point that doing so is safe. By understanding the signs that can indicate that your loved one needs care, you’ll be better equipped to make this important judgment, and help your loved one live as long and satisfying a life as possible.

Warning areas

Medical professionals look at six key areas when determining a senior’s degree of dementia, and it’s these areas which one should look at for early signs that care may be necessary.

Other Possibilities

Remember, many of these warning signs can be caused by other developing conditions common to the elderly. Pain from arthritis and a general lack of physical capability can contribute to much of the same problems, without indicating any loss of mental acuity. Depression and other mental and behavioral symptoms can also manifest similarly, without necessitating dementia care. However, in such cases other forms of outside assistance may be advisable—allowing any of these situations to continue unchecked can only go poorly, but with proper assistance deterioration of the mind, body, and mental well-being can be controlled.As the Baby Boomer generation continues to reach the age of 65 and older, more seniors than ever before are opting for in-home care. In fact, more than 2.4 million elderly or disabled patients now receive care in the home as a preferred form of treatment. These patients cover the spectrum of medical needs, including recovery from surgery to heart disease to recovery from injuries.

Responding to Benefits and Advantages

This growth in home care as a preferred form of treatment is due to a number of advantages and benefits. Aside from the psychological boost of being in the comforting environment of one’s home, there are a number of additional pluses for the patients, the caregivers, and the family. These multiple benefits fall into several categories, including: The growth in quality, professional home health services supports this trend to in-home care. Both Medicare and private insurance companies acknowledge the numerous benefits that this choice offers and accommodate the costs in most circumstances. To learn more about AT Home Care’s unique approach to in-home care, contact us today.Making the arrangements for hospice care can be a daunting task—by definition, it’s a system for making the last days of you or your loved one’s life more comfortable. Keeping the process as simple and stress-free as possible should be a high priority, so below are tips to help you get started. 1. Determine Eligibility and Coverage. First off, you’ll need to determine the patient’s eligibility for hospice care, and their eligibility for coverage under their insurance or other health program. Eligibility in the U.S. is limited to patients with terminal illnesses resulting in a diagnoses of 6 months or fewer to live—the diagnoses must be physician-certified, so make sure that’s handled. For insurance, make sure to take note of limitations, special rules, and any other important factors before you move forward—depending on the coverage, the limitations may be strict or nonexistent, and it’s important to know which moving forward. 2. Decide Upon a Location Hospice care can take place in a number of environments, including the home, a long term care facility, a hospital, or an independent hospice locations. Think carefully of patient needs, coverage limitations, and comfort when making the decision. Staying at home may be most comfortable, but may prove infeasible for patients dealing with certain illnesses. Think carefully on this step, as it will ultimately have a major impact on the hospice experience. 3. Contact Hospice Providers Once you know the limitations of your coverage, and where you want to set up, it’s time to start contacting providers and seeing what they have to offer. Make sure to ask the right questions: Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions and get a good idea of the fine details of the provider’s operation—this is a very important decision you’re making. Take plenty of notes, figure out what’s most important for you or your loved one’s well-being, and make an informed decision. Consider arranging a meeting or visit, as it will help you to compare the offerings, and also give you the insight you need to ask important questions you may not have considered otherwise. 4. Select a Program Once you have your information and know what you should be valuing, it’s time to make a choice. You’ll want to contact the hospice provider and have them begin the process of beginning the program. You’ll want to make sure all the legal, medical, and financial paperwork is clearly understood, signed, and stored away safely—it can be difficult to care much for the fine details at such a time, but keeping clear records of everything will greatly reduce unexpected sources of stress. If you do find yourself having trouble selection a program, make sure to ask around—the patient’s doctor, medical social worker, the local health department, and regional and national health organizations can all provide insight which may prove useful in making your final decision. 5. Make Other Arrangements Make arrangements to ease the process for loved ones—choose one person (if you’re not that person, yourself) to help everyone coordinate visits, keep informed, handle hiccups in the process, and help people with their grief when the time comes to say goodbyes. Coordination will greatly ease the process.

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