According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “An estimated 5.2 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease in 2014. This figure includes 5 million people aged 65 and older, and 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that there are 200,000 Americans younger than 65 with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Of these, approximately 40 percent are estimated to have younger-onset Alzheimer’s.”

The Association also reports that women, who are most often caregivers in the home, are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Among people aged 71 and older, although 14% of the entire population had some form of dementia, the figures were 16% for women, compared to 11% for men in 2010.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, including Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and others, are not one-size-fits-all ailments. Causes are still unclear; successful treatments are constantly evolving. Although the medical community learns more about these illnesses every day, one thing is certain: they don’t appear or progress in the same way in every case. Often, the type of care provided, and the time at which it begins, can make a difference in the comfort and well-being of a dementia patient as the illness progresses.

For patients with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or any other progressive illness, choosing the right provider for long-terms needs is critical. It is crucial that the patient be comfortable with his or her providers, and that the providers have a thorough understanding of the patient’s circumstances. Meeting patients in-home, when possible, is a good beginning. Providers need to be trained in dementia care and be sensitive to the special, and changing needs of their patients.

TenderCare’s professional contractors include Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Certified Nurses Assistants (CNAs), Home Health Aides (HHAs) and companions who provide respite care (to give family or friends a break), homemaker/companion care, personal care, live-in care, concierge nursing services, transportation and more.

Whether the need is simply transportation to medical appointments and prescription pick-ups or all the way to round-the-clock, live-in help, TenderCare ensures any referred caregiver will have the proper training and experience with dementias, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Concierge nursing services even include reports to absent family members if needed, to make sure that care is progressing as planned.

When an illness is progressive, as all dementias, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are, families can take comfort that TenderCare will be able to meet the increasing – or simply changing – needs of their loved ones in need of care, for as long as needed.