CareGiver360

If your family member is suffering from dementia, you know what a difficult and heart-breaking diagnosis it can be. From memory loss to mood swings, dementia requires a great deal of supervision and care. Those suffering from dementia are vulnerable to the following:

• Self-neglect
• Neglect
• Problem driving
• Financial management difficulties
• Financial exploitation
• Physical and sexual abuse
• Decision-making difficulties

Proper dementia care means not only preventing these issues, but also providing respectful, loving care in an environment that is as familiar and secure as possible. It may be that the most ideal place to provide care for dementia is in the home. Often a loving and familiar environment, home care presents challenges of its own, namely that it limits the number of primary caregivers. With just one or two family members available to provide the necessary care for dementia patients, the home care setting means a greater risk of caregiver burnout. To counteract this risk, it is advisable to seek out and hire competent and trustworthy help. Whether it is a dependable neighbor or a professional care service, respite care is a crucial component in a dementia care plan.

Before you leave your loved one in the care of others, always be sure they have appropriate training to handle any medical emergencies that may arise. Be sure they have proper and up-to-date emergency contact information, and make them as aware as possible about any behavior issues or triggers. When your caregivers are familiar with the individual, quality of care improves.

One way to familiarize caregivers to the specific needs of your loved one is the creation of a Personal  Care Guide through CareGiver360®. CareGiver360® helps you collect and organize what you know about your loved one and combine it with a library of caregiving information that includes Healthwise®, a resource for thousands of health professionals and trusted reference for sites like WebMD. By creating a Personal Care Guide and sharing it securely with members of your care team, you can be sure that they know as much about caring for your loved one as you do-even when you can’t be there. Click here to sign up for a free trial of CareGiver360®.