Q: Following a thorough physical and neurological examination, our mother was diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. My siblings and I are starting to talk about future care and what actions we should be taking to keep her safe. Unfortunately we are clueless and don't even know where to start. Our father died very suddenly years ago, so we never dealt with any care plan issues with him. Can you give us some direction?
A: First of all your family is to be applauded for your proactive approach to the long-term needs of your mother. Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, or any other progressive dementia, means life will never be the same for any of your family. Far too often when this diagnosis is delivered to families, they retreat into an environment of denial. Fortunately you have time to explore all options available since your mother is in the beginning journey of this disease. It could possibly be a few years before significant changes are indicated.
The first course of action should be to educate yourself about the disease to give you some indication of what to expect in the future. There are countless books on the subject; many will be available at your local library. The Alzheimer's Association is an excellent resource for family members, whether it is calling their information and referral line, attending an educational program or attaining written materials.
The next step is to have a good understanding of community-based services: What is available and what are the eligibility guidelines? Your beginning approach may be to arrange for services in your mother's home to maintain her where she is most familiar. You will want to make sure she is comfortable, but also safe.
Later you may need to consider relocating your mother to a facility specifically designed to care for individuals with dementia. Once you have a good understanding of the elder- care and long-term-care system , start scheduling field trips. It is always advisable to personally visit each assisted living or skilled nursing facility you may be considering. Do some homework to find out results from recent state inspections, during tours observe how staff interact with residents and if residents are engaged in activities.
The 22n annual Merrimack Valley Alzheimer's Conference will be held on Saturday, April 24 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Wyndham Andover Hotel. This is an excellent opportunity for family members to hear speakers who are experts in the field and talk with over 40 organizations providing services in the community. This conference is offered to family members at no cost, thanks to generous funding from Right at Home (Haverhill), Senior Whole Health, Medicaid Consulting Group LLC, Genesis Health Care and Maplewood Care and Rehabilitation Center. For more info call 1-800-892-0890 ext. 1321.
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Rosanne Distefano is the executive director of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. Do you have a question? E-mail her at ro@esmv.org or write to Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc., 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence, MA 01843.
