Has your loved one become more forgetful? Is it making an impact on his or her ability to get through daily activities? If so, it may be time to consider memory care. A memory care community is a place to live where your loved one can be cared for by trained dementia care professionals. It may not be an exact science, but there are warning signs to watch for that can guide you as to when it is the right time to explore this option. Let us discuss three of the signs. 1. Significant Weight Loss. It may be surprising, but weight loss can actually be a warning sign of dementia because it indicates that your loved one may be forgetting to eat. This may be because they cannot remember to go to the store to buy food, or how to prepare it, or simply that they are hungry at all. Whatever the cause, it can be a red flag that something is amiss and help may be needed. This is often discovered at a doctor’s appointment so it can be important that your loved one continues to receive care from his or her physician even if you do not think anything is wrong, in the same way all adults should have an annual physical exam. 2. Trouble With Daily Activities. Cognitive decline can have an impact on your loved one’s ability to dress and bathe themselves. The inability to remember where you keep your soap and shampoo, or that you need to shower or change your clothes, can all be part of it. If your loved one has a decline in hygiene, it may be a sign of dementia that could require memory care. 3. Getting Lost. If your loved one gets lost while walking on a normal route around the neighborhood, or even in the aisles at the grocery store, this may be a warning sign that memory care is needed. When you live in a memory care community, there are people to remind you to do things on a daily basis, but they are also there to help ensure that when your loved one goes through a foggy patch, your loved one can be reassured and not have to feel inadequate due to memory loss. It is very possible that your loved one will become agitated when others try to help, and memory care professionals are trained to assist under these difficult circumstances. For legal assistance with matters relating to memory loss and long-term care, as well as more information on resources available to you and your loved ones, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.
