Start Planning Your Mom’s Care Before Alzheimer’s Worsens

By Wendy Cregger | September 20, 2023 |

Senior Home Care in Owings Mills MD

Your mom has Alzheimer’s, but it’s in the earliest stages. However, it’s important to start contemplating your mom’s immediate and future care needs. The sooner you make the arrangements for the care services she needs and any legal paperwork that’s required for future care, the less stressful it is for everyone.

Take Care of Legal Paperwork

In the earliest stages, your mom’s ability to read and sign legal forms is still prime. As her cognitive skills decline, she may no longer be able to make legal decisions on her own. Your mom should talk to an elder law attorney as soon as possible for protections. Things like powers of attorney, wills, and advance directives.

Get Her Used to Her Caregiver Now

If you’re caring for your mom most of the time, you still need to take breaks. Respite care is important and may require the help of a senior home care aide. Get your mom used to her caregiver sooner rather than later.

When your mom has time to get used to her caregivers and becomes familiar with their names, voices, and faces, the easier it is for her as Alzheimer’s progresses. She needs to be able to recognize people, and it will get harder.

It’s also helpful to her caregivers. They’ll get to know your mom’s personality and easily recognize when something is wrong. If your mom has a UTI or ear infection, she may not be able to tell you she’s in pain. You have to pay attention to subtle changes in mood.

Make Her Home Safe

Heighten safety in your mom’s home now. Add grab bars to her bath and shower so that she has them for support as her muscle strength and balance diminish. Consider researching shower chairs now, as there will come a point where her strength is poor enough that she won’t stand for a shower.

Brighter lighting is important. If your mom develops sundowner’s syndrome, she may become anxious and paranoid when the lighting in her home becomes dim as the sun sets. If you have brighter lighting in all of the rooms she frequents, it prevents shadows that can impact her anxiety and mood.

Technology can also help. Have voice-activated light bulbs and an app that you can use to turn lights on if you forget to set a timer. Teach her how to tell the lights to turn on. Set timers to ensure that her lights turn on half an hour before the sun starts to set and about half an hour after the sun rises.

Arrange senior home care when your mom is in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s. Give her time to get used to her caregivers. The more familiar your mom is with them, the easier it is for her in the future. As the disease progresses, she may start forgetting names and faces.

Senior home care advisors can go over prices and services with you. You’ll appreciate having caregivers to help with respite care so that you can take breaks when needed.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Home Care in Owings Mills, MD please contact the caring staff at Help at Home Services, LLC today (443) 275-1524

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Wendy Cregger

Marketing Director at Help at Home Services, LLC

Help at Home Services’ mission is to provide superior service through the same care, concern and compassion that we give our own families.

With our 15 years of experience as a residential service agency, licensed by the State of Maryland Department of Health, we provide families with peace of mind that their loved one is in good hands.

Non-medical services are provided by certified nursing assistants. All caregivers are thoroughly screened, bonded and insured using comprehensive background checks.

Each client is matched with the caregiver who can best meet the care plan and homemaker services specific to the needs of the individual, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted-living or nursing community.

Help at Home Services takes great pride in the services that we provide. We have several specialized programs that sets us apart. Whether you are dealing with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's/dementia, or you are recovering from joint replacement surgery we can help you conquer the tasks that prove to be challenging. We also have a transition home program and provide a discharge planning guide to ensure that you have considered all aspects of life at home after hospitalization.