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Tips for Coping When a Senior with Alzheimer’s Does Not Recognize You

Senior Care in La Costa CA

Senior Care in La Costa CA

Senior Care in La Costa CAImagine walking into your parent’s home and having them look at you with confusion in their eyes and ask who you are. This can be a devastating and frightening moment, but if you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, it is something that very well might happen to you. Alzheimer’s disease takes away a person’s memory, but also their ability to recognize faces. This means that even if you are with your parent every day to care for them and you have always maintained a close relationship, there may come a point in their journey with the disease when they do not know who you are or your connection to them. As an adult child this can be extremely upsetting, but it is crucial that you approach it effectively to help prevent potential complications within your care relationship.

Use these tips to help you cope when a senior with Alzheimer’s does not recognize you:

  • Do not take it personally. It might be hard to think about not being hurt by your parent not knowing who you are, but it is important that you focus on not taking this lack of recognition personally. Remind yourself that it is not your loved one, but the effects of the disease that have taken away this memory. This can help to diminish the emotional impact so that you can continue to focus on your love and compassion for your parent.
  • Use cues. Give conversational clues to remind your aging parent who you are and what your relationship is to them, as well as their relationship with others. For example, introduce yourself as “your daughter, Mary” and then your partner as “my husband, Jeff” or your child as “your granddaughter, Lucy.” These clues can trigger memories and help your parent feel more comfortable.
  • Do not ask questions. Avoid the urge to ask questions like “do you know who I am?” or “do you remember this person?” While you might feel like this can help you to understand what is going through your parent’s mind, it can be frustrating and embarrassing for your parent. Asking these questions can also make them feel insecure with themselves and question whether they really do remember you or the other person, even if they do.

If your aging parent is coping with Alzheimer’s disease, starting home care for them can be one of the most beneficial, compassionate, and nurturing decisions that you can make. Far from being a way that you can distance yourself from your parent’s care or a demonstration that you do not care if your parent gets what they need as they age in place, hiring an in-home senior care services provider is a highly effective way to help your parent achieve and maintain their highest quality of life as they age in place. The personalized services of a care provider mean that you can delegate specific tasks to them and focus your time, energy, and effort on other aspects of your parent’s care, or that you can know that when you are not able to be with them on a daily basis they are still in the best hands. As they progress through the disease this care provider can ensure that they stay as safe, healthy, and comfortable as possible while maintaining their mental, emotional, and cognitive well-being as much as they can.

La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities."}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":767,"3":{"1":0},"4":{"1":2,"2":10667209},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"9":2,"10":2,"12":0}”>For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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