In Need of Home Care Services?

There comes a point in the care of many people with dementia (PWD) when the level of care or the time required in caregiving is greater than the family can provide. When this occurs, one very valuable option for the family is to employ the assistance of a Home Care Aide (HCA).

In preparation, it’s useful to identify the amount of time (4hrs, 8hrs, etc.) and time of day when the aide is most needed. It may be that the most demanding part of the day is the morning— getting the PWD out of bed, bathed, dressed, breakfasted and perhaps out for a walk to get some morning sunshine. These activities are labor intensive; an extra pair of hands may be needed most at this time. Or, perhaps the PWD is awake and active throughout the night (disturbances in sleep patterns are fairly common in Alzheimer’s disease). Thus, to ensure the family gets proper rest and the PWD’s needs and safety are tended to, an 11pm to 7am shift for the HCA would be best.

That is the easier part. For most caregivers, the more challenging part comes with the idea of bringing a “stranger” into the home and turning over some of the PWD’s care to the HCA. There are a number of things that can be done to help ease this transition:

• Create a record of all the things you want the HCA to know about the PWD, such as how best to approach the dressing and bathing issues, and personal interests such as favorite music, personal history, career, children’s names and favorite sports teams. The more you’re able to help the HCA know and understand the PWD as an individual, as the person that he or she is, the more the HCA will be able to relate to the PWD in a manner that is positive and ensures that the PWD’s dignity and “personhood” is respected.



• Make a list of important phone numbers to post in an obvious place and/or to give to the aid, such as telephone numbers for doctors and adult children, and clearly identify the steps that the HCA is to take in the case of an emergency with the PWD.



• Jot down the tasks or activities that you expect of the HCA, such as preparing a light meal or taking the PWD to the park daily.



• Think ahead about the things you will want to show the HCA to facilitate the HCA’s ability to do the job, and be ready to discuss how and why you want things done. “My Mother’s clothes are in this closet; her necklaces and earrings are here. Mother is a person who always took pride in her appearance, and so it’s important that we maintain that for her today. We put jewelry on her everyday, this helps mother preserve her dignity and a sense of herself.”

There are also the issues of cost and decisions about hiring privately or through an agency, which we can help you sort out. If you wish to discuss these issues, please call our Helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

Also, a booklet entitled Steps to Success: Decisions about Help at Home for Alzheimer’s Caregivers, written by Gwyther, Ballard, and Pavon, may help you to determine when it’s time to ask for help, and which services are most appropriate based on the needs. The booklet is available through the AARP Andrus Foundation,Washington,D.C.

To receive more information, please contact our 24-hour Helpline at 800-272-3900 or helpline@alznyc.org.

— Della Frazier-Rios, RN, MS
Senior Vice President,
Director of Education & Outreach

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