Beyond the Diagnosis: How Medications Can Help with Dementia Care
Learn how medications can support dementia care when non-drug therapies aren’t enough. Explore options, benefits, risks, and coordinated care approaches.
Call us:
866-923-2712
As a caregiver, do you take proper care of yourself? The chronic stress attributed to the caregiver of an elderly spouse or family member can have significant negative effects on your health and longevity. Your health and stress level should not be ignored. Striking a balance of care for your loved one and yourself needs to be a priority.
Research has shown that chronic stress can speed up the aging process, reduce the immune response to vaccines, delay wound healing, increase depression, increase susceptibility to infection, and shorten our lifespan. Many of these effects can be attributed to hidden inflammation caused in our bodies due to chronic stress. Inflammation is a normal response to injury or stress. But too much inflammation has been associated with several age-related diseases, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and coronary heart disease.
Caregivers who take a proactive approach to problem solve caregiving issues before there is a concern or crisis are much less stressed than those who are not prepared.
What are the signs of chronic stress?
How can I reduce chronic stress?
Adjust your attitude. Identify what you can do and accept what you cannot change. Not everything is in your control except for how you react to a situation. Perfection should not be the goal but happiness and healthiness instead.
Day in and out. Establish a daily routine. This will be both beneficial to you in managing your time and for the loved one to predict their day.
Ask for help. Others want to help and offer to help, but you need to accept their assistance. There is no shame in asking for a break or help on the behalf of your loved one. You need to build a support group you can rely on.
Manage projects. Break large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. You will feel more accomplished as you complete small goals. This will help to reduce your feelings of being overwhelmed.
Problem solve. Take a moment to think about the issues you face and the potential solutions. Discuss these with your friends, doctors, family member, therapists, or seek a solution on the internet. Try to be proactive before a crisis or problem arises. There are many resources that can be of assistance.
Rely on your family and friends. Stay in close contact with your family and friends. Keep them in the loop of your loved one’s health and changing needs. Lighten your load and share your concerns. If you keep your family informed then they will be more willing to help whether in person, financially, or other.
Get assistance. There are resources in your community to help with your situation. Explore local caregiving resources, home health care options, housekeeping or gardening assistance, or home modification services to adapt your home to their changing needs.
Join a support group. Never underestimate the empathy from others in your same situation. A support group can be a powerful stress-buster.
Take care of yourself. Eat properly, get plenty of sleep, meditate, and stay active. You need to care for yourself before you can care for others.
Give yourself a break. Plan one or two small breaks during the week, whether that is coffee with a friend, a walk in the park, or a shopping spree. These mental health breaks will reduce your stress and elevate your mood. Perhaps you need a longer break, consider a short-term stay in an assisted living or memory care community.
Embrace technology. There are ways to keep your loved one safe that will alleviate your stress level. Emergency response systems, such as a necklace or bracelet, can be activated at the press of a button to call for medical help. Alarms on the doorways to prevent those with dementia from wandering outside alone or a GPS device to help track someone’s moves.
If a short term stay is an option to help relief caregiver stress reach out to one of our Aegis Living communities to find out how we can help.
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.