How To Cope With Your Parent’s Memory Loss
Caring for a parent with dementia is a difficult and demanding task. It can even have effects on your own health due to the stress of demands. Nearly 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for people who have dementia. If you are having a hard time, so are others around you. You are not alone in this struggle.
Education Can Increase The Quality Of Your Relationship
Usually, there are early signs of dementia and depending on the individual, dementia might come on slowly. Your loved one might be able to maintain a good amount of independence and health on their own. It is easy during this stage to deny that your loved one has a problem. It’s true that the early stages of dementia are manageable. Educating yourself will help you learn the care skills needed to make life less frustrating and communication more productive for your loved one in the stage they are now. While the reality that your loved one is going to face a difficult aging process can be devastating this diagnosis can help you have important and meaningful conversation to connect with your loved one and prepare them for the future.
Accepting When You’ve Done All You Can
It is easy to feel like you’ve failed your loved one when you realize that you can no longer provide for their care. Yet, that is the reality of dementia. The last stages of these diseases require full-time and specialized care. Transferring a loved one into a care center can be a painful decision. Accepting that you don’t have the capability to care for your loved one, gives you the opportunity find care that fits their needs. Sharing your burden with professionals and other sources of help can make you strong enough to face the difficulties of late stage dementia. At Ashford, we specialize in caring for those with memory loss. We can make sure your loved one is well taken care of and safe. Our program provides a full range of care and is designed to deal with the special concerns that affect those with dementia.
Allow Yourself To Grieve
Losing a parent to dementia is an extremely painful process. Allow yourself to process your emotions of sadness, anger, and frustration. Rely on close friends and family to support you during this difficult time. If you need more support talking to our staff or a grief counselor can help you.
