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.
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You have made it through the holidays. The gift wrapping, shopping, family dinners, travel, and sleep deprivation. You should feel relieved, but something keeps nagging you in the back of your mind. ‘Did Mom forget to turn off the stove and burned the gravy pan because she was distracted or is it something more? She seemed so forgetful and confused during our visit.’
As family members come together from near and far during the holidays to celebrate with their parents or aging loved ones, many notice that things have changed dramatically since their last visit. Perhaps their parent has difficulty standing or they are unstable when they walk. Some may notice the house is unkempt, dirty clothes are piling up, and food is moldy in the refrigerator, when the house was typically neat and tidy. You may have started to discuss these changes with your siblings and among other family members. You may be concerned that they need help or wondering if your senior parent should be living along.
“We find after the holidays, that we get a spike in inquiries about moving a family member to assisted living,” says Kathy Stewart, Vice President of Nursing at Aegis Living. “Adult children may have not seen their parents for an extended period of time and are alarmed by their living condition, or with their limited mobility, or notice memory loss issues. Look for changes in their typical behavior and trust your gut if you feel like things are ‘off’ in their home.”
After a holiday visit with your senior parent living along, it is a good time to assess the key factors whether they can care for himself or herself?
If your senior parent’s health or personal happiness seems to be compromised, it is time to have a discussion about their living situation and options of care. Depending on their needs, the options could be moving in with you or a family member, finding a senior housing or assisted living community, or arranging in-home care. These decisions are never easy, but delaying a decision can affect your parent and loved one’s quality of life.
Make it your priority to get your parent the help that they need. If you are interested in touring an Aegis Living community contact us.
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.