That feeling of suddenly not knowing where she is can be excruciating for your elderly family member, especially if she was just in the middle of running an errand or handling some other tasks. Once you know what’s going on, it is important to take action so that you know what you are both up against. In-home care can help you and your senior navigate their changing abilities.
Talk with Her Doctor First
If this is a new situation for your elderly family member, it’s vital to talk with her doctor right away. Learning what is behind these scenarios when she suddenly feels as if she’s gotten lost helps you to determine what the next best course of action should be. Once you’ve got the information that you need from her doctor, you can take those next steps.
Help Her Figure Out Triggers
Whether this is abnormal cognitive changes or simply a one-off situation, it can help for you to work with your senior to try to understand her triggers. Is this more likely to happen in locations she hasn’t been to in a long time? Or possibly when she’s hungry or thirsty? Understanding what else is going on can help to determine how to help prevent future episodes.
Set Up Routines that Support Her Daily Life
Routines are a great way to help your elderly family member have the support that she needs every day, regardless of what is happening with her brain. A routine lets your senior relax into the structure of every day and use her brain for the important stuff. If she’s been sleeping poorly, eating poorly, or simply been feeling bored, that can all take a toll on her brain and keep her from having the best experiences possible with her memory.
Consider a Smartphone or GPS to Help with Navigation
There are lots of people who don’t have a great sense of direction, and they’re all different ages. Having and using a tool that helps your senior to find out where she is can be an absolute blessing, especially if the reason that she ends up getting lost is because of embarrassment and anxiety around being somewhere unfamiliar. Using a GPS device or smartphone can really help.
Hire In-Home Care Providers
If there are other reasons that your elderly family member is having more trouble with her memory, like cognitive changes are progressing faster than you expected, then having home care providers on hand is a great option. In-home care providers are able to help your senior to stay safe and to make sure that all of her needs are being met. They can help with transportation, assist with keeping her home clean, and make her life easier in general.
Memory issue scan be terrifying and if your elderly family member has been trying to solve this problem on her own, her own worries may be making the situation worse. Remember to stay calm about the situation and work with her medical team to determine if there are underlying issues to be aware of while you put practical solutions in place.
Source
https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/do-i-have-dementia/10-warning-signs-dementia
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs
If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Sedalia, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Parker. 303-953-9924
