Differences between Dementia Care and Regular Home Care

If your elderly loved one is showing signs of dementia, he or she may need more than regular elderly home care services.  A high quality home care agency will do a thorough assessment of individual needs to design a customized home care plan for each client. But still, it is important for you to understand the different types of care available.  Home care needs are different for healthy seniors vs those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Regular Home Care Services

​Regular in-home care is intended for individuals who require assistance with certain tasks but are able to maintain some independence.  A home caregiver provides help with activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, and with household chores like light housecleaning, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. This type of care might also provide medication management and transportation to medical appointments. Regular home care may be appropriate for someone in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, but as the disease progresses, more specialized care is needed.

​Dementia Home Care Services

Dementia home care is tailored to the challenges related to the different types of dementia and the changing needs through the progression of the disease. Dementia caregivers are familiar with the stages of the disease, common behaviors, and safety issues related to dementia as well as how to handle erratic moods and behavior. Care plans focus on the specific needs of an individual with dementia, including likes, dislikes, and personality. Dementia care incorporates activities designed to stimulate memory such as looking at family photo albums or listening to music, doing art projects, or reading. Using social media technologies to engage social with friends and family, eating a brain-healthy diet and physical exercise are also ways to help seniors with dementia live at home longer.

In early stage dementia care, the caregiver may need to provide simple memory assistance such as appointment reminders, organization, and money management along with regular home care services.

In middle stage dementia care, it is important for a person with dementia to follow a structured schedule to reduce the stress and anxiety. Individuals may also need increased assistance with dressing and feeding themselves.

In late stage dementia care, individuals typically need 24-hour care to cope with extreme confusion, inability to process information, and difficulty communicating verbally.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton offers 24-hour home care as well as live-in and live-out homecare for the elderly with dementia. For more homecare information, please call 617-795-2727.