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Alzheimer's Disease. Few diagnoses strike more fear in our hearts, both as the recently diagnosed and as the ones who love them. Immediately, thoughts run the gamut from worries about loss of independence to mourning the expected loss of a loved one to a disease which steals them from us while we watch. Alzheimer's care, personalized, tailored, and adjusted to the patient's needs, can alleviate some of the fear and stress associated with this disease and provide hope at a time when life may seem hopeless. Developing a plan of care is comparable to building a home. With caregivers in the role of contractors, and the patient and loved ones in the role of homeowners, a blueprint or plan for the best Alzheimer's care possible can be developed. Both a sturdy foundation and strong framework are required for all homes. These two components are also unvarying parts of a treatment plan. Once the foundation and framework are in place, the home can be built to the homeowner's specifications and an Alzheimer's care plan drawn up to meet the patient's needs. Respect, dignity, and appreciation for the individual comprise the foundation upon which Alzheimer's care is built. No plan can succeed in adequately caring for these patients without them as its basis. The framework, holding it all together, is a sense of meaningfulness. Usefulness. Purposefulness. Persons with Alzheimer's Disease are just that: persons. The disease does not render them anything less, and their care should be ever mindful of this. Just as those who have not received this diagnosis want to feel their lives matter, so do these patients. Their care, at its very core, should reflect that they are still relevant and significant. From cleaning up after arts and crafts, to reading aloud to another patient, to being a grandparent, nothing is too trivial to have its importance recognized and pointed out to these patients who may wonder whether they still have anything left to offer to those around them. On top of the foundation and framework, layered brick by brick, is care conformed to the individual patient's medical needs, personal needs, interests, hobbies, likes, and dislikes. Patients should be tended to in a manner that allows them to thrive, not just exist, keeping in mind no two patients are identical. Quality, individualized Alzheimer's care takes into account the differences between patients. A former English teacher may enjoy working on crossword puzzles, but someone who once worked as an accountant may not be so fond of them. While an individualized approach to care is optimum, assistance which additionally provides these patients with opportunities to interact in small and large group settings is also beneficial. Sing-a-longs, card games, arts and crafts, and exercise classes are just a few of the group activities which can enrich the lives of these patients. With thorough planning and a blueprint to follow, Alzheimer's patients will be akin to happy, content homeowners. When looking for professional Alzheimer's care, Wayne County, MI families visit Crystal Creek Assisted Living. Learn more about our services at http://www.crystalcreekassistedliving.com.
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