Comprehensive Alzheimer’s Care and Dementia Care Services in St. Thomas, ON

St. Thomas' Top Alzheimer's Care Provider 

With dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, your loved one becomes more different by the day. They may forget important people or events or have large shifts in their behavior or mood. This can be incredibly taxing on caregivers and family members who may not be prepared for the ways in which these conditions can show up. 

Home Instead understands the complex social, behavioral, and health needs of seniors with these conditions. Each of our caregivers participates in our exclusive training program and completes multiple assessments to ensure they are able to provide the highest quality Alzheimer's care and dementia care in the St. Thomas area. 

How To Support Your Loved One With Alzheimer’s Or Dementia 

Your family member’s diagnosis may come as a shock. As you watch them gradually lose more of their memory and cognitive function, this can shift to anger, frustration, and even heartbreak. You’ll go through many different stages of grief, all of which can feel strange when your loved one is and is not still present. 

Some things you can do to help your loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease include: 

• Get emotional support for yourself. Consider talking about your feelings regarding the diagnosis with a therapist or qualified counselor. Your emotions – positive and negative – are valid. They deserve to be felt and worked through with professional help. This also helps you develop more patience and compassion toward your loved one, which can help in times of frustration. 
• Look for available resources. Home Instead is just one source of information and support for your family after a loved one is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s. There are many other resources you can take advantage of that offer family resources. 
• Do what you can to slow the progression of the disease. Things like eating healthy, getting plenty of exercise, improving sleep habits, and quitting smoking may assist in how quickly the condition progresses. This keeps symptoms at bay for longer, allowing your loved one to retain their independence.  
• Find helpful hacks. Look for ways you can “hack” your loved one’s memory to help them remember to eat, drink, take their medication, or complete other important daily tasks. For example, a large, colorful medication dispenser in a visible place in the kitchen could catch their eye and make it easier to remember. 
• Remove dangers. Dementia also causes memory loss of things that are dangerous or difficulty understanding why something should be avoided. Remove dangers from a seniors immediate environment for their behalf, ideally in a quiet and unnoticeable way like hiding the car keys while your loved one is asleep and pretending to help look for the keys later the next day. 
• Celebrate small accomplishments. Your loved one may forget dates, events, or even people and their names, but most people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease still have a full range of emotion. They likely understand to some degree what’s happening and may feel upset or frustrated by their inability to continue living independently. Celebrate small accomplishments with an aging adult to help them feel like they’re still contributing. 

Excellent Quality Elder Care In St. Thomas  

Seniors or aging adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia need more support as time goes on. As their condition develops, they may continue to lose cognitive function or develop problems with mobility and self-care tasks. When loved one's health and social needs change, the type of care provided to them should also change. The following specialized dementia care programs in St. Thomas have been designed to meet the fluctuating needs of elders and their families. 

Companionship Care: 

Companionship care is a great option for seniors or aging adults who are mostly self-sufficient or who have other care providers who manage their health needs. Home Instead caregivers will visit your loved one to chat, play games, watch television, and can help with some basic tasks. 

The goal of companionship care is to enrich the senior’s quality of life and give the opportunity for them to enjoy their favorite activities while they are still able to and only need a little help. Even if your loved one can’t engage with much, our caregivers can play their favorite music, read to them, or even just sit nearby for a touch of comfort. 

Home Helper Services: 

Many seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease are able to continue living on their own and can complete most day-to-day tasks in the early stages of the condition. These individuals may only need minor assistance with specific things, like cleaning, grocery shopping, garden care, laundry, etc. 

Having someone come into the home to assist with these types of activities can reduce the burden on family members, allowing family members to spend their time recuperating or with their loved one.

Personal Care Services: 

Home Instead London, ON’s personal care services are a complimentary service to companionship and home helper services and are designed to assist seniors or aging adults who have developed greater support needs. Personal care is ideal for seniors or aging adults who no longer have the ability to complete activities of daily living. Home Instead caregivers help with mobility, dressing, bathing, eating, and other personal needs in a dignified and respectful manner. 

Many seniors or aging adults and their families prefer to have outside assistance for these tasks to help preserve the senior’s dignity and avoid placing undue burdens on family members. Our teams understand how to help individuals with cognitive impairments with necessary basic tasks without making them feel embarrassed or inferior. 

Respite Care: 

Respite care allows a senior’s primary caregivers to take a break without interrupting the senior’s critical support. Taking time for yourself when you’re the family member of someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia is necessary.

Home Instead caregivers can provide full-time care to your loved one during the respite period, including administering medication, helping with personal tasks, and providing meaningful companionship. Whether your respite is for an afternoon or for a few days, you can trust our team to give your loved one the time and attention needed.