Living in a Nursing Home With Alzheimer's Disease

Before your loved one goes off to an Alzheimer's long term nursing care facility, you'll need to consider the items that you'll want them to take, or the care guidelines that you have a personal attachment to. It's hard to even think about them leaving, especially if you've been their primary care giver, but sometimes it becomes necessary for your health and theirs. So take the time and consider a few aspects about taking things to their new home, and ask yourself should these items go. You'll be glad you did.

We all want a dignified and loving environment wherever we live, and this is especially true when we're older. When you're younger, it's easy to - rough it - so to speak, and do without, but when you're older, you'll want the warm mementos and cherished pictures around you to comfort you emotionally and mentally. When my father had to enter an Alzheimer's lock down unit, after caring for him on a day to day basis of 2 ½ years, I wanted him to take all of his stuff so he would feel like he was home. I wanted it for me too because I was sad and angry that I could no longer physically care for him and my family. There were a few good lessons that I learned along the way by encouraging him to take his stuff though, so read on about some of them.

• Nursing homes have rules about what can and cannot be brought in. Make sure to check the list, or ask for one if they forget to include it in your residency package for your Alzheimer's loved one.

• Realize that the cognitive state of all Alzheimer's patient's sufferer irreversible changes, and what is important to them today, might not be at a later point. It's advisable before they enter the nursing home, to make copies of pictures and don't send originals with them. Alzheimer's patients are known to misplace items, ruin or destroy them, or even throw them away not realizing their importance. It's also true, that other patients will wander into each others rooms, and take items thinking that they belong to them. Write their name and room number on the back of everything you send to the home. Clothing and linens can be labeled on the inside or underside; on or near the tag is the most identifiable place.

• With emotional and personality changes you'll have to consider that what might have been okay to take originally, won't be acceptable later. You might have to change out what was originally taken based on the advisement of the nursing home
facility, and your Alzheimer's patient doctor, due to aggression or depression of your loved one as the disease progresses.

• If you're sending favorite pictures that they'll like to hang on their walls, you'll need to think safety first. My father would often move pictures and they would drop and break. Shattered glass is not safe around a person with Alzheimer's disease. Replace all glass pictures with shatter proof plastic when they're living in a nursing home facility. Or, you can turn favorite photos into posters that can be replaced if destroyed, and they are easily hung.

• Think safety too when sending mementos. People with Alzheimer's are known for emotional outbursts, and personality changes. Send things that are not a danger to themselves or to others. My father had a rock with an engraved spiritual verse on it, and he became angry one day and hit another patient with it. Realize too that depression is a part of the disease, and they could just give away the things that mean the most to them, and your family. Don't send items that have a lot of value like jewelry. They are likely to end up lost or stolen.

• When sending any furniture to their living facility, think that your Alzheimer's loved one could accidentally get hurt, by jerking drawers out on top of delicate skin and bones. Small furniture objects such as table can contribute to falls from tripping, or by sitting on them. Most nursing home facilities have plenty of space built in, such as safety closets to store clothes and other necessities anyway. Most often there is no need to send any furniture because everything will be provided.

Remember, you're trying to think of their safety first and foremost. You can always adjust, so they can take some of their memories too. Check out this internet website about Alzheimer's disease at http://www.alz.org for information on the progression of the disease. You can also read information concerning Alzheimer's disease and Law at http://www.seniorlaw.com . Here you will find current nursing home guidelines and laws.