Memory Care in Wilmington NC: Signs Your Parent May Be Suffering from Memory Loss
Watching a parent age is one of the toughest things most adult children go through in life, especially when an aging parent’s memory is one of the first things to go. In fact, memory loss is one of the most common reasons why aging adults enter into specialty nursing homes featuring memory care in Wilmington NC.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 20% of all Americans over the age of 65 suffer from mild cognitive impairment, while more than five million are afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease. But, how can you tell the difference between a parent who just happened to forget something and one who is in need of professional memory care services?
Here, we share some of the tell-tale signs that an aging parent may be suffering from serious memory loss. This information will help you decide when it is time to move your parent into a memory care facility.
Signs of Memory Loss
As an elderly person ages, they can start showing increased signs of forgetfulness or dementia that can ultimately impact their finances, health and life. This is a serious issue that will worsen over time if it is not addressed and treated.
In most situations, memory loss starts out minor, such as forgetting to pick up certain items at the grocery store or forgetting an ingredient in a favorite recipe. Over time, it can start to affect other more important areas in one’s life, such as forgetting to take an important medication or forgetting to pay one’s bills. When the memory loss starts to have a serious impact on one’s quality of life or their independence, then it is time to consider moving that parent into memory care in Wilmington NC.
Common signs that your parent may be suffering from memory loss include:
- Repeatedly asking the same question
- Forgetting common words or mixing words when speaking
- Having difficulty remembering familiar tasks
- Losing the ability to follow directions
- Getting lost in familiar settings
- Misplacing items in inappropriate places
- Sudden changes in mood or behavior
- Forgetting to take medications
- Forgetting to pay bills or losing the ability to balance their checkbook
Making the Decision to Move Your Parent into a Mental Care Facility
The loss of one’s mental abilities is devastating not only for the elderly parent, but for the adult child as well. When this change occurs, it can result in increased levels of stress and worry for everyone in the family. Making the decision to move your aging parent into a skilled nursing facility with mental care treatment is not an easy one to make, but it can make life easier for your loved one.
If you have any questions about senior mental care or you would like more information about the Davis Community nursing homes and mental care in Wilmington NC, please give us a call at 910-566-1200 today.