Making the Most of Time with Family Through an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

May 17, 2016 by ·

Assisted Living in Citronelle AL

During the first few weeks after Elizabeth had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she had a great deal of support and an outpouring of affection from her family and friends. It was a difficult timeAssisted-Living-Citronelle-AL for her, her husband, and the rest of her family, but having that extra support made a significant difference in her emotional state of mind.

As the weeks turned into months, though, people tended to get back to their normal routine and that meant fewer visits, fewer phone calls, and a lot less support for Elizabeth and her husband.

When people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, there is likely going to be a great deal of anxiety and stress because most people think immediately about memory loss and how it’s going to impact their life and cause them to forget those who matter most to them.

While memory loss is certainly one of the key signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, it’s not the only one with which to be concerned. The more care and support a senior gets during the earlier stages of the disease, the more it can benefit them in the months and years ahead.

When a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, it’s certainly beneficial to let them know how much they are cared for and how much they mean to others. It’s also important to realize that when everyone has to get back to their normal routine of work, taking care of their home and family, and other responsibilities, it’s far too easy to let the days slip into weeks and then role away into months, losing a great opportunity to stay in touch.

While family may be spread out across the country, just like Elizabeth’s adult children were, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to stay in close communication with one another. Today’s modern technology makes it easier than ever.

Elizabeth didn’t have any experience with personal computers, tablets, or even smart phones and wasn’t too keen on the idea of getting a tablet in the first place, but when her oldest son gave her one as a gift and set it up for her so they could communicate with videoconferencing features, she felt more connected to everyone, including grandchildren.

There are plenty of ways seniors can benefit from family time and Elizabeth certainly did, thanks to technology. Elizabeth and her family made the most of their time together, even when they couldn’t be there in person, they can still be there face-to-face, on a screen.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Citronelle, 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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