Picture this scenario: You go to your parent’s house for your weekly dinner. Everything seems normal until Mom asks how work is going at a company you haven’t worked at in five years. Thinking nothing of the question, you talk about your current job instead and move the conversation along.
A few days later, during a phone call with your mom, you find out she has not left the house since you saw her last and that she decided not to attend her book club meeting.
The next time you visit, you find her searching for her glasses, so you join her in their search. After a while, you find the glasses in the silverware drawer.
Individually, these instances do not seem like much cause for concern. However, you realize that together these occurrences could mean something else is happening. After you and your mom visit the doctor, you learn she is experiencing symptoms of dementia.
When a parent or loved one receives a dementia diagnosis, it can be an overwhelming experience. You may feel relief knowing the cause of these changes, but you may be left confused about what to do next.
Community Senior Life communities offer memory care and other senior services throughout Alabama. We want to help you and your family figure out what happens after a dementia diagnosis by sharing a few key questions to ask following a diagnosis.
What Type of Dementia Has Been Diagnosed?
One of the most important questions to ask after a parent or family member is diagnosed with dementia is what type they have. When people hear the word “dementia,” many think of it as one disease. However, there are actually several types that fall under this umbrella term.
Each type of dementia affects the brain in different ways, so knowing which type (or types) a person has will help you create the best treatment plan for them. Additionally, understanding which type of dementia your parent has been diagnosed with will help you know what to expect as the condition progresses.
Some of the most common types of dementia include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Vascular dementia
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- And mixed dementia
Can I Help Delay Further Cognitive Decline?
According to the World Health Organization, “dementia is a syndrome – usually of a chronic or progressive nature – that leads to deterioration in cognitive function…It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgment.”
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for dementia. However, some things may help slow the progression. For example, keeping the mind active and engaged, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting plenty of exercise can go a long way in promoting brain health and improving cognitive functioning.
What Care or Treatment Options are Available?
Before your parent’s condition progresses, it is important to look into available care and treatment options. Living alone may soon no longer be a safe option, so it is crucial to have a plan in place before the time comes to make a move. This way, your parent can still be a part of the decision-making process. Options such as memory care can provide a solution.
Memory care programs are designed to promote cognitive functioning, delay the progression of dementia, and enhance an individual’s overall quality of life. At Community Senior Life, we are dedicated to providing unsurpassed memory care in Alabama. Caregivers in our communities work closely with every resident to ensure their unique needs are met in a safe and welcoming environment where they can thrive and have meaningful experiences.
Our memory care features and amenities include:
- 24/7 nurse call systems
- Electronically secured buildings
- Daily meals and snacks
- Therapeutic activities
- Medication management
- Dressing assistance
- Personal appearance and hygiene assistance
- Housekeeping
- Mobility assistance
Even though the news of a dementia diagnosis may be overwhelming, you are not alone. Our team is here to help you through every step of your dementia and memory care journey.
If you have additional questions regarding dementia or if you would like to learn more about our memory care communities in Alabama, we invite you to contact a member of our team today.