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Exploring admission to long-term care can provide some comfort

Long-term care can be the right choice.

No one wants to think about entering a Long-Term Care (LTC) facility, but circumstances may be such that long-term care is the best environment for a person with dementia. Exploring admission to LTC can provide some comfort for someone who is:

  • Living alone
  • Not eating properly
  • Has no social interaction or
  • Can't get out of the house

Long-term care may become the ‘right place’ for a person with dementia because it can:

  • Increase pleasure and quality of life for the client.
  • Offer recreational programs that:
    • Help the patient feel valued.
    • Provide socialization.
    • Allow the caregiver time alone to look after themselves, reconnect with friends or rest.
  • Provide access to physicians who can treat medical conditions such as:
    • Pain (one of the most likely contributors to aggressive behaviour).
    • Bladder or bowel issues which can impact behaviour.
    • Shortness of breath.
    • Determine nutritional needs.
  • Some LTC facilities may also offer access to:
    • Geriatric medicine
    • Geriatric psychiatry
    • Social workers
    • Occupational therapists