Alzheimer's Disease Continuing Care Information

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic illness; its course may range from a few years up to 20 years. Alzheimer's symptoms are progressive, and each stage of the illness will require different levels of care. Moreover, each person is affected differently at each stage. In final stages, the person with Alzheimer's requires complete care - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No single person can manage all this care all the time.

Fortunately, there is help. A vast network of social, medical and continuing-care services is available to help the person with Alzheimer's - and their caregiver(s) - get the best care possible at each step along this difficult journey. The important thing is to be able to access and use this network to best advantage.

In this section, we will help you understand the range of services and programs that are available to help make this journey less difficult.

 Home-Based Care

When the person with Alzheimer's continues to live at home

 Care Management

Professionals who can guide you through relevant services

 Home-Care Services

Skilled or companion care delivered in your home

Home-Care Services
How do I pay for home care?
Where can I find a home-care nurse?
What questions should I ask when I call a home-care agency?

 Adult Day Care

Care and activities in a structured environment during the day

What is adult day care?
What questions should I ask?
Where do I find an adult day care facility?
How much does adult day care typically cost?
How do I pay for adult day care?

 Respite Services

Services that take care of the person with Alzheimer's on a temporary basis in order to provide reprieve for the caregiver

What is respite?
What are the different types of respite services?
Are respite services covered by insurance?
Where can I locate respite services in my area?
What questions do I ask when I call the respite service providers?

 Assisted-Living Facilities

Long-term assisted care in a residential setting

What is assisted living?
Are there assisted-living facilities especially for people with Alzheimer's?
What do I look for in a Special Care Unit (SCU)?
What questions should I ask?
How much does assisted living cost?
How do I pay for assisted living?

 Nursing Homes

Long-term skilled care in a residential setting

Do all nursing homes provide the same type of care?
How do I know which nursing home to choose?
What do I look for in a nursing home?
How do I pay for nursing home care?
Where do I find a nursing home?

 Long-Term Care Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance (LTCi) is an investment in your future health care needs.

 Long-Term-Care Ombudsman

State employees who serve as advocates for residents of long-term-care facilities, act as resources and help resolve complaints

What is a Long-Term-Care Ombudsman?
How can I find a Long-Term-Care Ombudsman near me?

 Hospice

A program for terminally ill persons

 What is hospice?
 At what point is hospice care warranted?
 What questions should I ask when considering a hospice provider?
 Where do I find hospice services?
 How do I pay for hospice care?

 10 Tips for Traveling with Your Loved One

Make trips and the holidays merrier by being prepared

 Bring along an identification tag
 Keep things as familiar as possible
 Be prepared
 Plan your itinerary well in advance
 Be realistic
 Limit the length of plane or car rides
 If you are driving
 If you are traveling by air
 If you are staying in a hotel
 Have a back up plan.

 Driving and the Person with Alzheimer's Disease

How to know when driving is not longer an option

 Are You At Risk? Take The Test
 Is Your Loved One a Safe Driver
 Other Signs of Trouble May Include

 Fact Sheets

Plan activities for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

 Activities for People with Alzheimer's
 Communicating with An Alzheimer's Patient
 Facts About Alzheimer's Disease
 The Importance of Pre-Planning: Alzheimer's Disease and Health Care Proxies
 Steps to Healthy Aging
 Warning Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

For a comprehensive list of professionals and services in your area, click below.

 Resource Locator

The Resource Locator lets you search for providers by name, state, city, or ZIP code from a list of more than 30 types of health care professionals and services.

^ Back to Top