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 If you have been caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease you know how challenging this can be, bit it still may be difficult to make the decision to hire a home health provider. In this article we are going to look at some of the challenges of three main stages of Alzheimer’s, and how a home health provider can help you manage the care of your loved one.
The National Institute on Aging describes these stages as: mild, moderate and severe or late stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Mild Alzheimer’s disease
This is the first stage of the disease, which is marked by memory loss, small personality changes and the loss of the ability to plan, organize and find things.
Moderate Alzheimer’s disease
This is the mid-stage of the disease, which is marked by increasing memory loss and confusion, difficulty following instructions. They may also have trouble dressing themselves and with incontinence. People with moderate Alzheimer’s disease begin to have trouble recognizing family members and friends and they sometimes begin to wander and then have trouble finding their way back home. Other personality changes can include aggressive behavior such as kicking, biting, hitting, screaming and cursing.
Late-stage or severe Alzheimer’s disease 
This is the final stage of the disease which often finds the patient unable to handle their daily needs. They can lose the ability to talk and they don’t recognize their family members, they can develop trouble swallowing their food and refusing food all together.  
Family members may have no trouble caring for their loved one while they are still in the early or mild stages of the disease. They can help them when they forget where they left their keys, or if they remembered to pay the phone bill. But as a person moves into the moderate stage of Alzheimer’s disease it can be challenging to deal with the personality changes that they see. Mom, who was always a kind and loving person now has angry outbursts and throws dishes and swears. This can be difficult to deal with without the proper training that home health care providers are equipped with.
When a loved one has reached the late stages of the disease and they have become incontinent, and they need help with feeding, dressing and bathing, this can get to be a little bit too much for family members to handle.
It can be exhausting to be the sole caregiver for your loved one. You might consider how much more you will be able to enjoy the final months and years with your family member or loved one if you are not completely exhausted from caring for their every need all day and night. Hiring a home health care provider to help with your loved one’s daily needs will take a tremendous burden from your shoulders and allow you to handle the many other responsibilities in your life.
Linnea Goodrich is the owner of Firstat Nursing Services, which is the only Homecare Agency in San Diego that is both State licensed and certified by the Alzheimer’s Association.  Firstat Nursing Services has been providing a higher standard of home nursing, home health and homecare for elderly, disabled and injured people in the greater San Diego area since 1997.  To pick up a copy of her free report “Critical Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire a Home Care Provider,” Visit,http://FirstatofSanDiego.com
 
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