As a company focused on family empowerment in caregiving, CareSphere receives many questions about loved ones living alone with dementia. When does it become unsafe for them to be without assistance? Folks treasure their independence. But at one point, it can become a safety risk, especially with individuals struggling with memory loss and dementia who become vulnerable in a variety of situations.
You can use this list of warning signs to help you decide if your loved one needs compassionate care,
Watch List
People can live alone with dementia for a while with proper medications and in-home adjustments. Nonetheless, eventually, some problems become very noticeable.
- Getting Lost: According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an individual can get lost within a few feet of home and continue wandering. When someone goes missing, it’s incredibly frightening, and until that person is found, they remain without mental context.
- Medication Errors or Missed Doses: One common statement we hear from families at CaseSphere is that an individual took the wrong medicine, took it twice, or didn’t take it at all. All of these can cause serious harm and indicate an unsafe situation, making supervision imperative.
- Illustrating Poor Judgment: Making poor judgment calls is common among dementia patients. They may, for example, go out for a drive because they’re not ready to stop. It’s a sense of independence vs. isolation. They may also mishandle household appliances, like leaving the stove on.
- Physical Limitations and Falling. The CDC reports that falls become more and more common among the aging population, often resulting in hospitalization and long-term recovery. Balance and mobility can be difficult even when inside one’s own home. What happens if no one is around? Rather than look toward an institution or facility care, more and more people choose in-home healthcare through companies like CareSphere
- Loss of Interest in Hobbies, Poor Self-Care, or Socialization: Constant aches and pains, feeling somewhat useless, looking around and thinking about “better times” all play into depression in the elderly. It gets to a place where there’s no desire to go anywhere. “Why bother?” becomes a mantra. Joy seems totally lost. The resulting isolation is very unhealthy.
Seeking Professional Care
If you feel like all you are doing is putting temporary Band-Aids on a larger problem, consider an in-home professional service. At CareSphere, we offer a wide range of services to improve your loved one’s quality of life with dementia. When you can’t be there, we can!
Our home care plans in Pennsylvania include assistance with daily living activities, personal care, mobility assistance, medication minders, and chores. Most importantly, we provide companionship. Trained staff engage in conversations and encourage recreation activities. And if you just need a break from caregiving, we also offer respite, during which we monitor all health and ensure essential services are provided. You can rest and get peace of mind.
If you’d like to learn more, fill out our online form. You can also call 610-868-1801or email us at: support@carespherehc.com
