Throughout their senior years, it can be hard to watch your parent or grandparent adapt to changes in their body and mind. However, with senior care from a rehabilitation center or residential nurse, you can ensure their daily needs are fulfilled. If you’ve been reluctant to put off the move to an assisted living center, consider these three signs that it’s time for more vigilant memory care.

3 Signs Your Loved One Needs Memory Care

1. Changing Physically

As your loved one’s short-term memory declines, they may forget to take care of routine responsibilities, such as going grocery shopping or taking baths. If they don’t have any food in the fridge, they might forget to fix a snack or drink enough water, causing them to lose weight or appear pale and tired. If they aren’t keeping up with their hygiene routine, they could develop skin irritation or infections. If you start to notice any of these physical changes in your loved one, they may need someone to watch after them full-time, to remind them of these essential tasks, or help perform them.

2. Wandering Aimlessly

More advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia may increase the urge to wander. Some seniors may long for a location from their childhood or early adult life, and set out in search of “home” or “school.” Others may simply wander due to feelings of restlessness or frustration that stem from memory loss. This is incredibly concerning to family members who can’t keep an eye on their loved one around the clock. If they were living at a rehabilitation center with senior care services, you could relax, knowing there would always be someone to keep tabs on them.

3. Forgetting Prescriptions

Your loved one’s doctor may have prescribed them daily medications to help with their memory issues, but if they can’t remember to take them, their cognitive decline may accelerate. In addition to memory-related medication, your senior may need to take pills for their heart health, diabetes, or arthritis, or other serious conditions. If they can’t remember to keep up with their medications on their own, they may need a nurse to administer the pills and monitor their vitals on a daily basis.

If your senior loved one has shown any of these signs, they may benefit from time at a rehabilitation center. Families throughout West Plain, MO, turn to West Vue when their parents or grandparents require more consistent or advanced memory care. They cater to seniors throughout all phases of the aging process, so your loved one won’t need to pack up and move every few years. From independent living to a nursing home environment, they can accommodate your loved one’s needs. To learn more about their senior care services, call (417) 256-2152, or visit the website today.