5 Reasons to Visit an Aging Parent with Alzheimer’s Disease

Visiting a senior parent with Alzheimer’s can lead to significant benefits that boost his or her cognitive function and emotional health. You and your siblings should develop a schedule to ensure your loved one receives as many visits as possible throughout the week. Here are some of the reasons visits are essential for an aging loved one with Alzheimer’s. 

1. Provide Familiarity

Your loved one may or may not remember who you are, depending on the stage of the disease and its effect on his or her memory. Your presence could stimulate a feeling of familiarity, and your loved one may recognize you even though he or she cannot express it. The visits could trigger memories from the past and slow the progression of the disease. Even if your loved one doesn’t remember who you are, he or she may remember how often you visit and start to look forward to your company. 

2. Check on Wellbeing

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, many seniors continue to live independently. Without making regular visits to your parent, you cannot know what’s going on with his or her treatment or daily life. Your loved one could give you a report, but he or she may leave out relevant information due to fading memory or fear of being removed from his or her home. Regularly visiting your parent gives you the opportunity to see how the disease is progressing, and you can determine if he or she needs more assistance at home. 

Mental and emotional challenges are common for many aging adults, but seniors don’t have to manage them alone. At-home care Annapolis agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. Our caregivers encourage seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.

3. Socialize

Isolation is common for many aging adults, including those living with Alzheimer’s. As the disease progresses, they’re more likely to withdraw from family gatherings, community events, and other types of social activity. However, each time you visit with your loved one, you offer the opportunity to socialize. These visits can keep your loved one calm and relaxed as opposed to being isolated, sad, and angry. 

While visiting with your loved one, consider taking him or her out to participate in social activities he or she enjoyed before being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Doing so could bring back positive memories and enhance your loved one’s quality of life. 

4. Boost Communication Skills

Seniors living with Alzheimer’s experience brain cell loss that affects their thinking skills and the ability to communicate. During your visits, avoid some of the effects of the disease by doing activities that help with vocabulary, pronunciation, and organizational skills, which could prevent your loved one from speaking less often or withdrawing from conversations altogether. You can also help your loved one create gestures that allow him or her to express thoughts when speaking becomes too difficult. 

A professional Alzheimer’s caregiver with training and expertise in methods of cognitive stimulation can also be a wonderful asset. Seniors with Alzheimer’s have much to gain when their families opt for professional Alzheimer’s care. Annapolis families can rely on compassionate and dedicated caregivers to help their elderly loved ones manage the various challenges of Alzheimer’s disease so they can enjoy a higher quality of life.

5. Create Happy Times

Alzheimer’s disease destroys the memory as well as other important mental functions. Confusion is one of the main symptoms of this disease. Although it may be painful if your parent doesn’t remember who you are, you still need to visit him or her as often as possible. The time you spend together could enhance his or her mood and alleviate many of the symptoms associated with the disease. 

Regular visits from family members can reassure and calm seniors who have Alzheimer’s. There are many reasons seniors might need assistance at home. Some may require regular mental stimulation due to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, while others might only need part-time assistance with exercise and basic household tasks. Assisting Hands Home Care is a leading senior home care provider. Families rely on our expertly trained caregivers to help their senior loved ones maintain a high quality of life. For reliable in-home care services, contact us today.