3 Considerations to Make about Assisted Living for Someone with Alzheimer’s

June 2, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Saraland AL

Somebody who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s may feel like he or she is facing a long and dark road. The average life expectancy for somebody diagnosed with this form of dementia is between 8 and Assisted Living in Saraland AL10 years. Some people with Alzheimer’s can live 20 years or more after diagnosis, though. It’s important that the person who has recently been diagnosed with this disease understands there is still a lot of life left to be lived.

When considering long-term care options, assisted living will likely come up in the conversation. Not every assisted living facility is going to be able to handle people with Alzheimer’s, especially during the latter stages of the disease.

The different stages of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s basically develops over three stages. During the earlier stages, the memory loss is relatively minor and isn’t going to impact daily living all that much. During the middle stages, the memory loss will become more significant and that can impact the senior’s ability to take care of themselves. During the latter stages of the disease, the memory loss will be so severe and significant that the senior may not recognize the surroundings, be confused on the time period, have difficulty recognizing people around him or her, and that can lead to physical and verbal outbursts and even Sundowner’s syndrome.

What considerations should you make when looking into assisted living for Alzheimer’s?

1. Experienced staff members. If an assisted living facility does not have staff members working for them who have direct experience with people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, that may not be the best place for the senior at this time.

2. Medical services. Some with Alzheimer’s may require a visiting nurse or doctor every so often. It might be difficult for them to get to the doctor’s appointments, so it’s beneficial if the facility has a visiting nurse or medical professional who stops by on a regular basis, whether it’s once a week, twice a week, or more frequently.

3. Activities. Staying active in getting mental stimulation is incredibly important for somebody with Alzheimer’s. The more mental stimulation a person gets, the more it can help delay the onset of the most serious aspects of memory loss.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but getting the right living situation and support can provide the best opportunity for the senior to have a high quality of life for as long as possible.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Saraland, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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