Is Senior Living Safe for Seniors Suffering From Dementia?

Dementia is one of the most common ailments among the elderly. The term refers to the decline in mental ability that is often severe enough to prevent the elderly person from carrying out daily activities with the efficiency he/ she is accustomed to. Since dementia is a progressive disease, the afflicted individual may slowly grow more and more dependent on others. For caregivers who live far away from their aged relatives, the only solution may be to shift the aged person into a senior living facility. But is this truly safe for the elderly person?

The Unique Challenges of Caring for Elders with Dementia

Dementia restricts the ability of the older person to remember things with clarity which can make even mundane tasks difficult and time consuming. However, the forgetfulness may be the least of the problems if your elderly relative also has some of the more serious complications associated with this disease. Some people develop difficulties in completing daily tasks, they fail to understand spatial relationships or lose the ability to carry out basic problem solving as the disease progresses.

Safety may become a serious issue with such dementia patients since they may be unable to find their way home when they go out visiting or shopping. Even simpler tasks like unlocking the door or shutting off the shower may become challenging for them. In such circumstances, it is best for them to be supervised 24/ 7.

Senior Living is the Safest Option

In most cases, it is impossible for caregivers to offer this kind of round the clock support and care to the dementia afflicted senior citizen. This may become even more difficult when the caregiver has his/ her own family to care for or his/ her job takes him out of home most of the day. In such case, shifting the dementia afflicted elder to a reputed senior living facility is the possible solution for both. At the facility the aged relative has the support and assistance he/ she needs to carry out daily activities safely. The caregiver is also anxiety free since the elderly dependent is in good hands and under supervision all day long.

Senior Living Facilities Equipped for Dementia Patients

In reality, dementia patients can benefit immensely from living at a senior care facility that caters specifically to people with this dreaded disease. The presence of helpful, competent staff members around them gives these elders greater confidence and keeps them motivated to continue their regular life as far as possible. However, to derive the most benefits from this arrangement it is critical to make sure that the senior is living at a facility where the staff is trained in addressing the needs of dementia patients. Only when the staff members understand the nature of the disease will they be able to offer the right kind of support, empathy and understanding that can make life easier and happier for these elderly Americans.

In many senior living facilities specially catering to dementia afflicted elders, periodic visits by physicians, the presence of emergency medical personnel on site, special security measures to prevent unauthorized exit entry are integral features. These ensure that the residents are able to enjoy life without exposing themselves to unnecessary risks.