alzheimer's care in kansas city

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. Alzheimer’s and dementia manifests as memory loss, unfocused thinking and behavioral issues. Alzheimer’s symptoms develop slowly over time and gradually become worse. Sufferers eventually cannot perform common activities of daily living, and need dedicated help remaining in the home. Because no two cases of Alzheimer’s are the same, the realization that your loved one may have the disease can be frightening. Trained Alzheimer’s home care professionals can help educate you and support you in these times.

The first step is to visit with a trained professional. There are 7 stages of Alzheimer’s, and it is very important to know what stage your loved one is in. In the early stages caring for your loved one at home on your own is possible. However, the stresses of providing Alzheimer’s home care will increase as the disease progresses, and will begin to take a toll on you and the family. Realizing this and asking for help from trained and experienced Alzheimer’s care professionals is an important step on managing Alzheimer’s disease and maintaining a quality home life.

Thoughtful Care™ professional caregivers have up to 25+ years of dementia and Alzheimer’s care experience. We work with you to develop a plan of care using the right mix of Alzheimer’s home care. It is through this approach to Alzheimer’s care that we can provide the best quality of life for you and your loved one.

7 STAGES OF ALZHEIMER’S

There are seven stages of Alzheimer’s Disease in total. They are generally broken down into early, mid and late when discussing the disease. This is done because the stages are not clearly defined, due to the fact that the disease manifests differently in every case.

• Stage 1: No sign of decline in memory or task ability.
• Stage 2: Very minor impairment, may show as forgetting a word or losing something.
• Stage 3: Noticeable cognitive changes with increased difficulty with names, words and tasks.
• Stage 4: Regular cognitive issues, forgetting recent events, difficulty with basic task such as paying bills.
• Stage 5: Noticeable memory gaps, such as forgetting own address and phone number. At this point daily assistance is needed.
• Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline, with trouble remembering names of famliy and friends. Needs assistance with dressing and hygiene, and wandering can be evident.
• Stage 7: Physical and cognitive impairment, with extreme memory issues. Physical decline becomes apparent, and person loses ability to communicate using speech.

Contact us now for a free Alzheimer’s home care assessment or to learn more about the 7 stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.

SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

There are a variety of symptoms that characterize Alzheimer’s Disease. Since no two cases of the disease are exactly alike, the symptoms listed below can only be used as a guide. A cognitive function test from a health professional is the next step if you feel your loved one may have the disease.

• Short term memory loss. Trouble with recently learned information.
• Difficulty with speech, forming sentences and remembering words.
• Trouble following instructions, recipes and paying bills.
• Difficulty performing routine tasks and driving to familiar locations.
• Vision and perception impairment. Difficulty reading and vision confusion.
• Frequently losing items with difficulty retracing steps to find the item.
• Social withdrawal, lack of outside interests and activities.
• Changes in personality. Increased confusion, temper and frustration.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE TREATMENTS

Currently, there are no known cures for Alzheimer’s disease. There are medications to manage the symptoms, and new research data is available that shows some progress towards a cure. Though there is no cure, lifestyle choices can have a major impact on your chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. One common misconception about Alzheimer’s is that is inherited; however, less than 10% of documented cases of the disease are inherited. The remainder are cases that cannot be traced to inherited causes. If you are the adult child of someone and are here looking for information on Alzheimer’s disease, please review your particular lifestyle and make any needed changes to improve your chances of avoiding this disease.

There are two types of medications used to treat the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s: cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. The first, cholinesterase inhibitors are generally prescribed for early to mid stage diagnoses of Alzheimer’s, and go by the brand names Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne and Cognex. Mid to later stage diagnoses of Alzheimer’s can be helped by prescribing memantine, which is marketed under the brand name Namenda.

Contact Thoughtful Care today to learn more about our Alzheimer's Care services!