Losing track of time is one of the earliest changes that seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease start to notice. They might have trouble remembering what day it is, confuse mornings and evenings, or have more trouble following their routines. These symptoms are frustrating for seniors and their families, but there are ways to help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease cope. Alzheimer’s home care providers can help families understand what’s happening and find solutions.
Cognitive Changes
Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain in ways that change how seniors process information, including their understanding of time. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, different areas of the brain may not be able to function any longer. That can interfere with seniors’ abilities to recognize times, dates, and the sequence of daily events.
Even familiar routines become difficult for seniors to follow because their brains struggle to organize thoughts correctly.
Memory Trouble
Memory loss is another big symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors may have trouble remembering conversations, appointments, meals, and so much more. Memory plays a big role in helping people to understand how time works, so when seniors forget recent events, they are more likely to feel disconnected or confused.
Memory changes contribute to repetitive questions and statements, while also making it tougher for seniors to distinguish between events from the past and the present.
Communication Challenges
Often, seniors with Alzheimer’s disease start to have increasing trouble with communication skills. They may have a tough time finding the right words, understanding conversation, or recognizing instructions. All of this makes time-related communication more difficult. Seniors may lose sense of what time frames mean, so hearing that something will happen in five minutes may not make sense.
Alzheimer’s home care providers can help families find ways to assist seniors with communication challenges.
Confusion and Disorientation
Many seniors with Alzheimer’s disease find that they experience more frequent episodes of confusion and disorientation. Familiar environments may feel overwhelming as Alzheimer’s disease progresses.
At the beginning of each day, seniors may orient fairly well to starting their day and keeping up with time. The problem tends to worsen as the day progresses. In the late afternoon and evening, seniors might experience sundowning, which is a period of increased confusion related to changes in lighting and activities at the end of the day.
What Helps Seniors with Time Confusion?
There isn’t any way to cure Alzheimer’s disease, but there are ways that families can help seniors to manage confusion over time more comfortably. Maintaining consistent daily routines gives seniors with Alzheimer’s disease a sense of stability. Using clocks, calendars, and written schedules can also help seniors to stay oriented.
Alzheimer’s home care providers can help aging adults to ease through their days with gentle reminders of what’s coming next.
Patience and understanding make a massive difference when seniors with Alzheimer’s are struggling to keep up with time. Compassionate help from Alzheimer’s home care providers helps seniors to receive the dignified support they need to keep up with daily activities. They can also help family caregivers understand the causes of time confusion, helping everyone involved to create a safer and more secure environment for seniors struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Alzheimer’s Home Care in Del Mar, CA, please contact the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
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