{"id":6457,"date":"2015-09-07T07:24:34","date_gmt":"2015-09-07T12:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=6457"},"modified":"2020-10-13T18:08:01","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T23:08:01","slug":"signs-a-senior-needs-memory-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/09\/signs-a-senior-needs-memory-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Signs a Senior Needs Memory Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Signs a Senior\u00a0Needs Memory Care\"Signs<\/span><\/h1>\n

As we age we lose brain cells which can result in us forgetting a name or where we left our keys. This is normal aging that we call a \u201csenior moment.\u201d This is not the memory loss that requires special care.<\/span><\/p>\n

We love our elders, but sometimes the care they need is more than we can provide at home. A person with memory loss that interferes with their normal daily activities may need memory care. Memory problems can result from dementia, Alzheimer\u2019s disease, stroke or brain injury. Dementia is a more general term which includes Alzheimer\u2019s disease. While stroke and brain trauma may respond to treatment, dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0are progressive cognitive problems, meaning that they will not get better but may be slowed down. That also means that the problem comes on slowly – so slowly that you may dismiss the early signs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s<\/h2>\n

We often liken dealing with seniors with memory problems to dealing with children. Both groups tend to be forgetful, especially when they are distracted or thinking about something else. But children will get better as they mature. Seniors with memory problems due to dementia will not get better, so it is unrealistic to expect it. Seniors themselves often do not recognize their memory problems, tend to think it is temporary or try to cover it up. From infancy we all have the experience of getting stronger, smarter, better as the years go by. It\u2019s hard to face the fact that you may\u00a0now be on the downhill slide, getting weaker, more forgetful and sometimes sicker as time goes by. Even for seniors who are healthy, some seemingly minor accident, like a fall, can set off a cascade of health-related events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caring for a senior can be very demanding, especially since most caregivers also have jobs, families and other demands on their time. If you feel overwhelmed and just want to put off making any big decision because things aren\u2019t too bad right now, you may be fooling yourself. Although dementia comes on slowly, we sometimes dismiss it as \u201cGrandma is having a bad day.\u201d But if it is dementia, Grandma isn\u2019t going to get better. She will continue to have bad days and worse days. It\u2019s time to talk to her doctor about her symptoms and possible options.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Signs to Watch for in Your Senior Loved One<\/h2>\n