Monday, March 21, 2016

More Than Memory Loss: Common Issues Relating To Dementia

By Rue Nichols


People with dementia, either people who live at home or perhaps in assisted living in San Diego, suffer from more than just memory loss. While losing one's memory is tragic, dementia and Alzheimer's Disease cause other issues as well. If you know someone with any type of dementia, they might also suffer from the following issues.

Sleep issues are very common for those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In fact, as many employees of memory care assisted living in San Diego can attest, many residents suffer from an issue known as Sundowner's Syndrome. This syndrome, which tends to affect people more during the beginning and middle stages of dementia, causes people to become anxious or angry or very restless as the sun begins to set. Those with Sundowner's Syndrome often cannot sleep through the night, pacing the floor or even ranting or shouting at family or assisted living staff.

This, of course, is unpleasant for both the person with dementia, but also for those around them. While no cure has been discovered, many strategies have been found to successfully lessen the effects of this syndrome. The staff at assisted living in San Diego might design a day filled with easy, stress-free activities to keep residents engaged and busy. They might also discourage napping and schedule dinners earlier in the evening. Limiting any caffeine at the end of the day also can help. Because the absence of sunlight is a trigger, the staff also might make sure that there is plenty of illumination in the assisted living facility, which can reduce stress.

Because of the brain changes that occur with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, some people suffer from either hallucinations or delusions or perhaps both. Delusions, which are false beliefs, are quite common and your loved one might accuse someone of stealing or lying or engaging in illegal behavior. Hallucinations might include seeing people or things that aren't really there or smelling or hearing something that isn't there. In some cases, distracting a person or redirecting their energy to another task, can help with delusions and hallucinations.

While anyone would be frustrated and angry if their memory began to fade and they were constantly confused and anxious, severe mood swings are not uncommon for those with dementia. These behaviors, which can include physical violence as well as verbal abuse, are beyond the normal level of frustration one might expect to accompany dementia. If your loved one is lashing out often, it actually can be beneficial to consider moving them to assisted living in San Diego. Make sure that the facility offers memory care services, as these are specially designed to make life as easy and stress-free as possible for people suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia.

If you do need some help handling someone with any type of dementia, consider contacting and eldercare placement service. These free services can find assisted living in San Diego or board and care homes in San Diego with memory care services. In addition, a placement service also can find in-home caregivers to help handle some of the challenges associated with caring for someone with dementia.




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