Key takeaways: Is it time for memory care for your senior loved one?
- Memory care is appropriate when memory loss begins to affect safety or daily functioning, such as missed medications, unpaid bills, difficulty speaking, or leaving doors unlocked.
- Behavioral and emotional changes signal a need for added support, including withdrawal from activities, personality shifts, increased anxiety, suspicion, or frustration during conversations.
- Declining self-care and home management indicate growing risk, such as poor hygiene, weight changes, expired food, clutter, or difficulty managing household responsibilities.
- Social isolation and caregiver burnout are important decision triggers, as withdrawing from relationships can worsen confusion and sadness, and overwhelmed caregivers may no longer be able to provide safe, sustainable support.
- Trusting your instincts and seeking professional guidance helps clarify next steps, especially when concerns persist by observing changes, documenting them, and consulting a physician, you can confirm whether memory care services are needed
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What are the signs it may be time for memory care?
Memory Care at Provision Living
While visiting the older adult in your life, have you observed some behaviors that raise red flags? Are you wondering whether your loved one needs additional support or is simply forgetting a thing or two? If you’ve noticed signs that are concerning, we’ve compiled a list of factors that might indicate it’s time to consider transitioning your loved one to memory care for seniors.
What is memory care?
Memory care services provides support, structure, safety, and security for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. It also creates peace of mind and trust for those individuals’ family members. But the need for memory care services depends on the type and stage of dementia as well as the person’s physical ability and needs.
What are the signs it may be time for memory care?
General forgetfulness
As we age, it’s not unusual to forget a thing or two, such as misplacing keys, forgetting what day it is, or searching for the right word for something. Forgetting these types of things won’t have a direct impact on your health. However, forgetting to take medicine, not locking the door, not paying bills, or having trouble speaking and forming sentences are all cause for greater concern, especially since they have practical consequences.
Changes in behavior
Have you noticed that your once lively and outgoing parent is now withdrawn, depressed, or no longer doing the activities they once enjoyed? Or is your loved one constantly frustrated when having conversations because they’re having trouble finding the right words to use?
According to the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, people with dementia can act in ways that are very different from their “old self,” and these changes can be hard for family and friends to understand. That’s because with dementia, the person is losing neurons in parts of the brain. The behavior changes often depend on which part of the brain is losing cells.
Anxiety related to memory loss
Memory decline can be frightening for the person experiencing it, so you may notice your loved one becoming more anxious, suspicious, or easily upset because they cannot remember what just happened or understand their surroundings.
Lack of care and hygiene
When visiting your loved one, do you find that the house isn’t as tidy as it once was? Are you seeing stacks of paperwork on the kitchen table, food past the expiration date in the refrigerator, and garbage that hasn’t been taken out in a while? These are all clues that your loved one is in need of additional support.
If you find that your loved one’s hygiene isn’t what it used to be and they’re experiencing issues like incontinence, or if you recognize significant weight changes it could mean they aren’t able to properly take care of themselves as they previously could.
Increased isolation or loneliness
Many older adults with memory decline begin withdrawing from social situations because conversations feel difficult or embarrassing. Over time, this isolation can worsen confusion and sadness.
Caregiver exhaustion
With many caregivers having jobs and families of their own, it can be overwhelming trying to balance their life and support an older adult with memory decline. If you are a family caregiver and find you’re having a difficult time assisting your senior loved one or are experiencing feelings of burnout, it may be time to transition your older adult to memory care.
Trust your instincts
If your gut tells you that something is off with your loved one, trust it. Spend some time observing their behaviors and daily living situations, ask questions, and take notes on what you see. Then, follow up with a doctor as soon as possible. If you are wondering about what care your loved one needs, they’ll be able to advise you.
Memory care at Provision Living
Having a loved one with memory decline or memory loss can feel overwhelming and, at times, downright scary. At Provision Living Senior Communities, we’re here to help you along the journey and find the right resources and memory care services for your loved one.
If you’re wondering when is the right time for memory care, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with one of our memory care consultants today. You can also download our memory care guide to learn more about the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, navigating the stages of dementia, the cost of memory care services, and the benefits of memory care communities for seniors.
This article is meant to serve as general information and does not constitute medical advice. If you have any questions about memory decline, please consult with your loved one’s physician.
