We all know what it feels like to be bored. At first, a few days off work sounds like a wonderful escape from the norm. Without anything urgent on your calendar, you feel calm and relaxed. After a week off work, however, you start to become anxious and antsy. With nothing meaningful to do, you start feeling kind of useless.

This is exactly how our loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia feel when they are not being engaged on a personal level. After being separated from the activities that once brought fulfillment, patients often experience a rapid decline.

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Choosing a dementia home care provider for your loved one can be a daunting task. After all, you’re putting your loved one’s safety and quality of life directly in the hands of a professional you’ve never met. With so many options available, how do you ensure you’re making the right choice?

Just as with any other major life decision, it’s important to do plenty of research and thoroughly explore all options. This way, you can confidently make a choice that will put you, your loved one and your family at ease.

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About 12 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Her story started like so many dementia stories do. In the beginning, it was the small things we noticed: Mom was forgetting things, starting to repeat herself and asking questions about things we’d just talked about.

When my mom was first diagnosed, she lived with my father in our family home in the country outside of Farmersville, Texas. As her dementia progressed, my dad became her primary caregiver. My sister lived just down the hill, and she and her husband took it upon themselves to check in on our mom and dad regularly. At first, this worked well.

Then, my dad got cancer. His condition worsened quickly, and he passed away. My sister, who lived nearby, told me and my siblings (there are five of us) that she planned to have mom move into her home. We were grateful for her offer, but we also didn’t want her to have to shoulder the burden of caregiving all on her own. We came to an agreement: our mom would move in with our sister, and we’d hire in-home care to supplement what she was providing so she didn’t get worn out.

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