Visiting Angels can provide information about how our in-home living assistance services can help your loved one live safely with Alzheimer’s disease in Point Loma, Kensington, the College Area and surrounding communities of San Diego, CA

At Visiting Angels San Diego, we understand how difficult it can be when your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. While you may feel deeply saddened and overwhelmed, you must to learn about Alzheimer’s and what to expect. That way, you will be more prepared to handle the complex and difficult situations this disease presents.

Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. In-home living assistance services from Visiting Angels San Diego can help you navigate this trying and troubling time.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and our in-home living assistance services, continue reading below.

The Facts

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative cognitive disorder that progresses over the course of a few years and is well known for causing memory loss, personality changes, and overall deterioration of cognitive functions. Seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease have an average life expectancy of four to eight years following the initial diagnosis, however this can vary. In the United States, nearly 5.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s, and most of them are over the age of 65.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s

You may be wondering: what is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia? Dementia encompasses a wide range of cognitive disorders, and Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Everyone suffering from Alzheimer’s has dementia, while not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer’s.

Risk Factors

While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s remains elusive to scientists, a number of risk factors have been identified.

The big three include:

1. Poor heart health.
2. A family history of Alzheimer’s.
3. Old age.

Alzheimer’s also seems more prevalent in people who have high stress, frequently encounter air pollution, suffer from sleeping problems, or have a history of head trauma. Other risk factors include a history of heavy smoking or heavy drinking.

The Symptoms

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, seniors usually display mild versions of these symptoms:

• Inability to remember recent events
• Inability to remember past events
• Difficulty solving easy problems
• Forgetting or mixing up words
• Struggles with daily activities that were once easy
• Frequently losing items
• Confusion about the time, familiar locations, or names of familiar people
• Changes in personality

As the disease progresses, the mild symptoms will become moderate, and then severe. In the final stages, seniors may lose their ability to speak, eat, go to the bathroom, or remember anything at all.

Treatments and Prevention

As of yet, Alzheimer’s is incurable and the damage done seems to be permanent. Some treatments appear to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s; however, the best treatment is prevention. If your loved one has a family history of Alzheimer’s, they need to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, develop healthy sleep habits, decrease stress, and take omega-3 oils. A healthy heart is also important in Alzheimer’s prevention.

How Professional Alzheimer’s Care Can Help

In the first and middle stages of Alzheimer’s, seniors are usually cared for by friends or family. But as the disease progresses, it is often necessary for families to look for professional care options. Many families look into nursing homes or assisted living facilities, but this can be especially distressing for seniors who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

This is where our in-home living assistance services come in. With in-home Alzheimer’s care from Visiting Angels San Diego, your loved one can remain in the comfort of their home while receiving care from an experienced caregiver. Our in-home living assistance services for seniors with Alzheimer’s address the unique needs of seniors who suffer from the disease and their individual care requirements.

If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, reach out to our home care agency today at 619-488-6265 and ask about our in-home living assistance services for seniors with Alzheimer’s and request a free consultation. This is difficult, but Visiting Angels San Diego is here for you.