An Alzheimer's diagnosis can leave families with a long list of questions about what comes next. The first few weeks are a good time to gather information, discuss your parent's wishes, organize important documents, and make practical changes at home. Families may also need to consider how care needs could change over time.
Learn More About Alzheimer's
Start by learning about Alzheimer's disease, including how symptoms may change over time and what treatments or therapies may be available. The Alzheimer Society of Canada offers information for people caring for someone living with dementia.
Keep a running list of questions for your parent's doctor. Ask about the diagnosis, medications, referrals to specialists or a memory clinic, and symptoms that should prompt a call to the medical team. A shared notebook or digital record can also make it easier for family members to keep track of appointments and changes.
Organize Legal and Financial Documents
Talk with your parent about their wishes while they can still make and communicate decisions. Review existing legal documents and determine whether your parent needs to establish or update powers of attorney for financial and personal care decisions.
Locate the will and review whether it reflects your parent's current wishes. Gather information about bank accounts, insurance policies, pensions, benefits, medications, and healthcare providers. A lawyer or qualified financial professional can help your family determine what additional planning may be appropriate.
Make the Home Safer
Walk through the home and conduct a home safety audit with Alzheimer's-related changes in mind. Improve lighting in hallways and stairways, remove loose rugs and clutter from walkways, and add grab bars where needed. Keep frequently used items easy to find and consider large-print calendars, labels, or other visual reminders.
Pay particular attention to the kitchen and bathroom. Stove knob covers, an automatic shutoff device, and adjustments to medication storage may become useful as memory or judgment changes.
If your parent may wander, consider a medical alert system and registering with Finding Your Way, a program from the Alzheimer Society of Canada that helps families respond when a person with dementia goes missing.
Create a Care Plan
Think about what help your parent needs now and what may change later. Consider transportation, meals, medication reminders, personal care, companionship, and assistance with appointments or household tasks.
Discuss who can take on different responsibilities and establish a backup plan when a family caregiver is unavailable. If your parent still drives, talk with their healthcare provider about driving safety and when they may need to stop driving.
Care planning should also include your parent's preferences for future living arrangements and the type of assistance they would want if their needs increase.
Start Exploring Care Options Early
Families do not have to wait until Alzheimer's symptoms become difficult to manage before exploring in-home care. Starting the process early gives you time to learn about available services, compare care options, and determine what type of assistance fits your parent's routines and needs. It can also make it easier to introduce a caregiver gradually rather than waiting until a family member can no longer manage alone.
Senior Helpers Etobicoke & Mississauga East provides Alzheimer's & Dementia Care through our Senior Gems approach, which considers a person's abilities, routines, and changing needs. Families in Mississauga Valleys, Port Credit, Alderwood, Applewood, and Cooksville can contact us to learn more about available care.