Alzheimer’s Care Advice on Advocating for a Senior Parent

Advocating for Senior Parents: Alzheimer’s Care Reston VA

If you have a senior parent with Alzheimer’s one of the things that you need to do to help them stay healthy and happy as they age is become an advocate for them with their doctors. Doctors don’t spend a lot of time with their patients and can’t observe how their symptoms progress in real time the way that family caregivers can. Thus, it’s important for family members to advocate for their senior parent and make sure that their doctor knows the current state of their symptoms at each checkup. Below are some of the things that family caregivers can do to be better advocates for their senior loved one with Alzheimer’s.

Record All Medical Appointments

If you are going to all of your senior parent’s medical appointments with them you should record the appointments so that you will have a record of what the doctor said that you can refer to later on. It can be very difficult to keep an eye on your senior parent and make sure they are safe and not wandering or distracted during the appointment and also take in everything that the doctor is saying. Recording the appointment will allow you to go back later on and make sure that you fully understand everything that the doctor said about your senior parent’s current condition.

Keep Good Records

When you have a senior parent with Alzheimer’s, documenting everything is the best way to make sure that they are getting the care that they need. It’s also the best way to keep track of their symptoms and how they are progressing. Writing down each new symptom can also help you make sure your senior parent gets treatment for those symptoms. Because your senior loved one may be unable to tell you if they are hungry, or if their head hurts, or their stomach hurts, keeping track of their symptoms, medical appointments, and daily routine can help you and the doctor figure out if something is wrong when they can’t tell you that something is wrong.

Get Alzheimer’s Care

Caring for a senior parent can be overwhelming and often draining physically and emotionally. In order to be a good advocate for your senior parent, you need to be rested and relaxed and able to think clearly. Getting Alzheimer’s care for your senior parent will give you a chance to step away from caregiving and give you the time you need to take care of yourself. There’s no shame in getting Alzheimer’s care for your senior parent to give yourself a break. In fact, it’s a necessity.

Keep Learning About Alzheimer’s

There are studies being done on Alzheimer’s all the time, and doctors are constantly learning more about how Alzheimer’s affects seniors and how to treat it. Make sure that you’re keeping up to date on the latest research, reading about the studies being done, and reading books about how to effectively help seniors with Alzheimer’s. The more you learn the easier it will be to help your senior parent.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Alzheimer’s Care in Reston, VA please contact the caring staff at Butters Home Health Care today. (703) 371-2113