Somebody's Sweetheart

By Vikki Kalitsi

Valentines Day brings a celebration of love and stirs couples to rekindle feelings of romance and devotion. Not so different from young couples are aging seniors, celebrating memories of sweethearts and romance in days gone by. Sit a while with a senior couple and they will soon be telling you their romance story.

Dementia and Alzheimer's can rob senior minds of many of these treasured memories, changing their personality and life style. Because of these and other illnesses, many seniors end up in nursing homes or care facilities where only their basic physical needs are cared for by the facility staff. To these seniors, Valentines Day becomes no different from every other day. They often find it difficult to relive memories of the past. In one care facility a sign placed lovingly over a patient's bed reads, “I Am Somebody's Sweetheart,” as if to say I once dreamed, lived and loved, please treat me kindly.

At nursing facilities, most of the time it's the patients who are causing a disturbance or may be in danger of harming themselves who are the ones that get attention. Very seldom nursing staff take the time to personally get to know well all the elderly people they care for.

Although this is true with many facilities, the need for more personalized care is, in some cases, being recognized. Assisted living facilities with specialized memory care programs are finding great success with increasing the quality of life for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.

If you cannot find a facility in your area that provides this special attention, home care may be a better option.

A geriatric care manager can be a valuable asset to family members when it becomes necessary to look at alternatives for their loved one's long term care. They work with all members of the family in educating about resources and making decisions. Some services provided are.

Make an assessment about the type of care need

Develop a care plan for care both current and future care

Work with physicians in getting medical support

Find home care services that work with the families needs

Provide assistance with legal and financial issues

Appropriate home care services are also often necessary when a change in environment is called for. Home care services vary, depending on what is needed, and may change as caregiving requirements change in regards to the physical or mental health of the elderly person.