Dealing with the Decline of a Loved One
Dealing with the decline of an elderly relative struggling from physical challenges, dementia, Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairment can be daunting.
Family members have to be very careful when confronting a loved one as he or she may become very defensive. It is suggested that the family members discuss what is going on and make sure that everyone is in the same boat and that the person(s) who notices the changes is not just being paranoid. After this discussion has taken place it you can sit down with your parents and express your concerns.
Memory clinics are extremely helpful in these cases as they take the heat off the family. These clinics evaluate a patient and determine whether he or she has declined or if the changes in behavior stem from other issues that can be solved such as a urinary tract infection. It is a lot easier to convince a loved one that changes need to be made when a professional opinion is provided and legal action is taken based on the findings. This may be very effective for those that are just beginning or are midway through such cognitive problems.
However, some patients may be in denial or they may not be cognitively able to understand that that there is a problem. He or she may become upset and refuse the help or restrictions that are suggested by professionals. In this case the professionals need to be the bad guys and the family needs to step back and agree with the professionals recommendations. Counseling may be very helpful for families who may be in denial about a loved one’s decline.
2 comments June 10th, 2009
