ELDERCARE HOME SERVICES COMMEMORATE’S WORLD ALZHEIMER’S DAY

World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on 21 September annually to raise awareness of the disease and related forms of dementia.

In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear later in life. The disease is among the most prevalent forms of dementia; a set of disorders that disrupt mental function.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells, causing thinking ability and memory to deteriorate over time and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

The disease impairs daily function and is not a normal part of aging. It is an irreversible condition and the only leading cause of the death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.

EARLY WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S / DEMENTIA

• Increased memory loss and confusion that disrupts daily life
• Disorientation with time and place
• Forgetting about recent conversations or events.
• Forgetting the names of places and objects.
• Repeating questions repetitively
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks efficiently
• Becoming less flexible and more hesitant to try new things.
• Difficulty with language (reading, writing, and working with numbers)
• Difficulty concentrating, organizing thoughts and thinking logically.
• Challenges in planning, organizing and solving problems
• Impaired judgement or inability to make decisions
• Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
• Losing the ability to retrace steps
• Changes in mood, behaviour and personality
• Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
• Depression – withdrawal from friends, work or social activities

The condition is often regarded as a family disease due to the impact it has on those closest to the victim. Many families are unfortunately unable to provide care and support for their loved one’s who suffer from Alzheimer’s and dementia, due to work commitments. Eldercare supports families in this way by providing compassionate home-based care services to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients who need personal care and assistance. Eldercare employs caring people and focuses on developing and supporting them to provide the best care possible. They offer dedicated and compassionate part time care, full time care, or even live in care for those who need personal care. Affordable home-based care allows their clients the opportunity to stay within the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Enabling care services that are offered range from Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, people with disabilities, post-operative support, medication administration, vital sign monitoring, meal preparation, feeding assistance, personal and oral hygiene, light exercise, light house-keeping to companionship.

Eldercare follows a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure only the best care for their clients. They understand that everyone’s circumstances are unique, hence they take a ‘tailor-made to the individual’ approach, and consider the best ‘Care Plan’ for their clients and then match the right care giver to the role. Eldercare is well positioned to meet needs in terms of home-based care for the Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, the frail, disabled and aged.

Eldercare has local care givers throughout the South Coast, so a care giver can be with you whenever you need them, to ensure you or your loved one keep as much independence as possible. Eldercare is one of the most responsive, caring and professional home care agencies the South Coast has to offer. Eldercare is registered with medical aids and is able to submit claims directly to the medical aid. The service is completely flexible and a tailored ‘care-plan’ can be arranged to suit one’s specific needs.

Eldercare Home Services has a team of dedicated trainers who train care givers so they are qualified to provide the best care possible. Soon Eldercare will be offering three new courses to their portfolio, namely an Advanced Care Giver’s certificate NQF 2, an Intermediary Course for current care givers to obtain their advanced care givers certificate and a Dementia course.

For further advice or assistance phone: 039 976 0560 / 039 976 2555