Age is one of the leading risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, 34.6% of those with the disease are over 85, 13.8% are 75 to 84, and 5.3% are 65 to 74. That’s only 53.7% of the diagnosed cases. What about the others? Alzheimer’s is diagnosed in younger adults. It’s known as early-onset Alzheimer’s. Early-onset Alzheimer’s involves people under the age of 65. A 30-year old English man is one of the youngest diagnosed cases of Alzheimer’s. Having home care services can help with the stress of this disease on you and your loved one.
There are no guarantees when it comes to longevity. When early-onset Alzheimer’s is caught when the symptoms first appear, medications can slow the progression of symptoms. People with Alzheimer’s can live for another 20 years.
Your mom or dad may be okay on their own for a decade, and suddenly in their late-60’s or 70’s, they start needing more care. What do you do if you’re still not young enough to retire and have to work full-time? Home care services are the perfect solution.
What is Home Care?
Home care is a service that comes to your parents’ home and offers supportive care with things they struggle to do independently. Instead of moving them into assisted living or your home, they have caregivers with them to cook meals, clean the house, do the laundry, and drive them to stores and medical offices.
Caregivers are only there on the days you want. If your mom needs help every day, that care plan is arranged. If your dad only needs someone on Mondays and Fridays when you have to go into the office, that’s quickly scheduled.
When Should You Arrange It?
How far into the disease does your parent need to be to hire home care services? There’s no right or wrong answer. It’s helpful to get your mom or dad used to having a caregiver in the early stages.
Once they start forgetting names and faces, the arrival of the caregiver can be alarming. By getting your parent used to a caregiver now, familiarity is in place.
Start slow with the caregiver stopping by once a week. Assistance while grocery shopping is an excellent way to get your mom or dad used to home care services. You could also arrange home cleaning services once a week.
Talk to your family about your parent’s care needs. Don’t overlook your need to take care of yourself in the process. When caregivers could help your mom or dad stay independent and provide you with much-needed breaks, it’s worth scheduling home care. Talk to a specialist to get started.
Sources: https://www.alz.org/media/documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114025/early-onset-alzheimers-diagnosis-rates-by-age-in-the-us/