If your aging loved one has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, you indeed have many questions. Your family might want to start planning future care steps as thoroughly as possible. At Visiting Angels Carlisle, we compiled this guide to provide some of the answers you need.

Learn more about Alzheimer's disease, including the benefits of in-home supportive services for seniors in Carlisle, Gettysburg, Chambersburg, and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania. Contact our Carlisle, PA, home office at 717-241-5900 to discuss how our alzheimer's services might benefit your elderly loved one.

What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease?

The most prevalent kind of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. However, the word dementia may refer to a variety of brain illnesses that cause memory loss. Dementia, impaired thinking abilities, and altered behavior are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain illness.

What are the risk factors for the onset of Alzheimer's?

A variety of variables increase the likelihood that an individual may get Alzheimer's disease in old age. Nevertheless, the three most significant risks are poor cardiovascular health, heredity, and senior age. Sleep problems, chronic stress, strong alcohol and cigarette use, a brain injury history, and other risk factors may also significantly raise the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's can show its onset in several different ways. Most symptoms, especially the early ones, affect a person's speech and behavioral patterns.

Typically, the most prominent symptoms of this cognitive condition include:

• Short-term and long-term memory loss
• Issues with problem-solving skills
• Uncommon problems with simple, daily routines performed hundreds of times before
• Frequently mixing or forgetting words
• Regularly displacing or losing personal or household items
• Confusion
• Forgetting or mixing up names and identities
• Anxiety, agitation, or depression

How does Alzheimer's disease progress?

As Alzheimer's is a progressive condition, the symptoms increase in severity gradually over several years, becoming worse and worse with time. Initially, the symptoms are usually mild and have minimal impact on the person's well-being and quality of life. However, a person may lose all short-term and long-term memory as the cognitive decline progresses.

Someone with late-stage Alzheimer's may lose the ability to speak and understand speech and the ability to perform even the most basic tasks, such as eating by themself or going to the bathroom. Because of this, those with mid and late-stage Alzheimer's require either facilitated care or in-home supportive services.

Does Alzheimer's disease have a cure?

Sadly, there is no cure for any form of dementia at this moment. Current treatments are limited and focused solely on minimizing the severity of the symptoms, maintaining quality of life, and slowing down the pace of cognitive decline.

What are my loved one's options for Alzheimer's care?

During the early to mid stages, families typically provide care for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's. On the other hand, patients in the later stages require high levels of professional care, often provided by in-home supportive services or nursing facilities.

If you're looking into local Alzheimer's care options for your loved one, choose in-home care from Visiting Angels Carlisle. Our caregivers are trained to provide personalized, one-on-one care for seniors with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. In addition to assisting with everyday tasks, we can help your loved one manage their symptoms so they can continue living at home. That way, your loved one can avoid the stress of relocating to unfamiliar surroundings.

Call our office in Carlisle or our drop sites in Gettysburg and Chambersburg today to learn more about how our personalized in-home supportive services can help if your parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.