Did you know that dementia impacts up to 8% of people over age 60 worldwide? The World Health Organization estimates that over 80 million people will suffer from these neurological conditions by the year 2030, which could increase to over 150 million by 2050. Based upon these numbers, dementia care services are going to become increasingly more important as the world’s population ages.

Read on for an overview of what dementia is, potential warning signs for each stage of the disease, and tips for caring for someone with this condition. We also discuss how to help someone with memory loss and if it is possible to provide dementia care at home.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia refers to conditions that affect the brain. The most common of these neurological disorders is Alzheimer’s disease, which affects up to 70% of the worldwide dementia-suffering population. These diseases can cause memory loss, lack of impulse or behavior control, forgetfulness, inability to effectively process or learn new information and other neurological issues.

Are There Different Severity Levels With Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

Yes, and unfortunately, dementia is a progressive condition that gets worse over time. Dementia is normally broken down into three stages or categories: early, middle, and final stages.

The Early or Initial Stages

The beginning symptoms are often easy to dismiss as the natural course of aging. Forgetfulness and a decrease in brain function is natural as humans age, but these symptoms are more severe than just the occasional “senior moment”.

Senior With Dementia or Alzheimer's

Initial warning signs include: 

  • Inability to recall recent events 
  • More frequent episodes of confusion
  • Instances of getting lost in what were once well-known locations 
  • A lack of concentration
  • Unexplained depression or withdrawal from social events 
  • Increased ability to lose track of time

Middle Stages

As the person’s brain continues to deteriorate and become more impaired, he or she will enter what doctors refer to as the middle stages of the disease. During this period, your loved one may fail to remember more things, including the names of friends and recent events. They may even become easily confused or lost while in their own home or other well-known locations. Other issues might include a growing inability to communicate their needs and feelings effectively. It may be necessary to start helping your loved one with their hygiene and other similar tasks.

The Late or Final Stages

The last stages of the disease can be particularly challenging. Your loved one may become completely dependent upon you and other caregivers to meet his or her daily needs. People with severe dementia often have no idea where they are or what time it is for significant portions of the day. Perhaps most alarming to relatives is that the person will likely not recognize even their closest family and friends.

Other physical issues may appear as the portions of the brain become more affected. For example, your loved one may struggle to walk or begin to have balance issues. Many patients also display anger and aggressive behavior towards caregivers as they increasingly struggle with memory issues and the loss of their independence.

How Can You Help Someone With Dementia?

You may be wondering how to help someone with memory loss. While there are no current treatments that can reverse or stop the impact of dementia, there are things that you can do to make it easier for someone suffering from memory issues.

If your loved one is not currently displaying any symptoms, then engaging the person in mentally stimulating pursuits may help reduce the risk of developing dementia. Word games, sudoku and crossword puzzles and other cognitive intensive tasks may help keep their brain sharp and delay the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementia conditions.

Once your loved one begins to display the early signs, then establishing daily routines in familiar places can be highly beneficial. Knowing what is going to happen every day and when those events usually occur will help dementia sufferers feel safe and give them the best chance to remember what they need to do every day.

You may need to stop and think about ways to present important new information so that it is easier to remember. Break directions down into simpler steps that the person can follow one task at a time. Repeating simple instructions may help them be more easily committed to memory. It may make sense to write down critical information so that your loved one can reference it later.

Dementia Care at Home

Per the Alzheimer’s Association, assisted living facilities with memory care units cost between $4,000 and $5,000 per month on average. If your loved one needs more dedicated care, then nursing homes often charge between $200 and $250 per day or up to $100,000 per year.

Given those costs, you may be wondering if it would be possible to provide dementia care at home. The answer really depends upon your loved one’s current condition and your ability to deal with the challenges that come with increased memory loss, physical issues and other symptoms of the disease. We strongly recommend that you discuss your situation with a medical professional to help you develop an effective care plan that fits your specific needs.

Remaining in familiar surroundings for as long as possible will help your family member feel safe and secure. It may even be easier for them to remember their daily routines and expected activities at home compared to an outside facility or nursing home. However, caring for someone with declining mental and physical abilities at home can pose unique challenges. We do have some home safety tips for your consideration.

Retired Couple Holding Hands and Looking at Each Other

Home Safety Considerations

Ensuring that your home is as safe as possible is one of the most important things that you can do when preparing to care for someone with memory and physical mobility issues. For example, you may need to lock up cleaning products, insect sprays or other chemicals that could pose a safety risk to your loved one.

As the disease progresses and your loved one becomes less aware of the time and surroundings, they may not be able to operate the stove correctly or may forget about that boiling pot of water. At that point, you may need to have someone at home to help supervise and provide for their nutritional needs.

Physical issues including mobility and balance limitations may become more prevalent in the middle and late stages of dementia. These changes may require you to modify certain areas of your home so that they pose less of a danger. For instance, you may need to install railings, grab bars or seats in the shower that your loved one uses. You may need to use gates or other methods to block stairs so that they do not pose a falling hazard.

Was this information useful? A dementia diagnosis can be scary both for those suffering from the disease and for their family members, friends and loved ones. However, there are steps that you can take to help someone dealing with memory loss, depression and other symptoms that are common with dementia. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Carreras Medical Center team to discuss the care services available for dementia and your options.