Emotionally and financially, it can be a lot to take in when a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s or other memory issues. Shawn Plummer, director of advance annuity sales at The Annuity Expert, has experienced the emotional toll on his own family: his 89-year-old grandpa is healthy, but his grandma has late-stage Parkinson’s and the early stages of dementia. “From my point of view, it’s gut-wrenching, simply because they both worked hard their entire lives, retired and then have had to go through this difficult time through their golden years. Imagine being married for 60-plus years, to learn your spouse dies forgetting who you are. I can’t imagine,” he says. “My grandfather is exhausted and frustrated.”
Your options for care may seem mind-boggling — but remember, you don’t have to decide on the type of care your family member needs right away, particularly if your loved one is diagnosed with memory issues in the early stages. Down the road, you may have to make decisions about assisted living versus in-home care — or memory care.