Alzheimer's and Dementia Care: Help for Family Caregivers
Sunnyslope Estate Villas
Jul 06, 2021
Colorado - Denver Metro
Caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia can be a long, stressful, and intensely emotional journey. But you're not alone. In the United States, there are more than 16 million people caring for someone with dementia, and many millions more around the world. As there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's or dementia, it is often your caregiving and support that makes the biggest difference to your loved one's quality of life. That is a remarkable gift.
However, caregiving can also become all-consuming. As your loved ones cognitive, physical, and functional abilities gradually diminish over time, it's easy to become overwhelmed, disheartened, and neglect your own health and well-being. The burden of caregiving can put you at increased risk for significant health problems and many dementias caregivers experience depression, high levels of stress, or even burnout. And nearly all Alzheimer's or dementia caregivers at some time experience sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and exhaustion. Seeking help and support along the way is not a luxury; it's a necessity.
Just as each individual with Alzheimer's disease or dementia progresses differently, so too can the caregiving experience vary widely from person to person. However, there are strategies that can aid you as a caregiver and help make your caregiving journey as rewarding as it is challenging.
The challenges and rewards of Alzheimer's care
Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia can often seem to be a series of grief experiences as you watch your loved one's memories disappear and skills erode. The person with dementia will change and behave in different, sometimes disturbing or upsetting ways. For both caregivers and their patients, these changes can produce an emotional wallop of confusion, frustration, and sadness.
As the disease advances through the different stages, your loved ones need increase, your caregiving and financial responsibilities become more challenging, and the fatigue, stress, and isolation can become overwhelming. At the same time, the ability of your loved one to show appreciation for all your hard work only diminishes. Caregiving can literally seem like a thankless task.
For many, though, a caregiver's journey includes not only huge challenges, but also many rich, life-affirming rewards.
Caregiving is a pure expression of love. Caring for a person with Alzheimer's or dementia connects you on a deeper level. If you were already close, it can bring you closer. If you weren't close before, it can help you resolve differences, find forgiveness, and build new, warmer memories with your family member.
It changes your perspective on life. The act of caregiving can help you appreciate your own life more. Many people find that their priorities change afterwards. The trivial, day-to-day worries that once seemed so important seem to fade away and they're able to focus on the things that are really meaningful in life.
Provides purpose. Caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia makes you feel needed and valued. It can also add structure and meaning to your life. Each day you're making a huge difference in someone's life, even if they're no longer able to acknowledge it or express their gratitude.
Adds a sense of accomplishment. Learning new skills and coping techniques can boost your confidence and overcoming new challenges can improve your problem-solving skills. Attending support groups can also broaden your social network and help you form new, rewarding relationships.
Caregiving can teach younger family members the importance of caring, compassion, and acceptance. Caregiving for someone with dementia is such a selfless act. Despite the stress, demands, and heartache, it can bring out the best in us to serve as role models for our children.
Caregiving in the early stages of Alzheimer's or dementia
In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia, your loved one may not need much caregiving assistance. Rather, your role initially may be to help them come to terms with their diagnosis, plan for the future, and stay as active, healthy, and engaged as possible.
Accept the diagnosis. Accepting a dementia diagnosis can be just as difficult for family members as it for the patient. Allow yourself and your loved one time to process the news, transition to the new situation, and grieve your losses. But don't let denial prevent you from seeking early intervention.
Deal with conflicting emotions. Feelings of anger, frustration, disbelief, grief, denial, and fear are common in the early stages of Alzheimer's or dementia for both the patient and you, the caregiver. Let your loved one express what they're feeling and encourage them to continue pursuing activities that add meaning and purpose to their life. To deal with your own fears, doubts, and sadness, find others you can confide in.
Make use of available resources. There are a wealth of community and online resources to help you provide effective care on this journey. Start by finding the Alzheimer's Association in your country (see Get more help below). These organizations offer practical support, helplines, advice, and training for caregivers and their families. They can also put you in touch with local support groups.
Learn all you can about your loved one's dementia. While everyone's experiences of Alzheimer's or dementia are different, the more you learn about the condition and how it's likely to progress, the better you'll be able to prepare for future challenges, reduce your frustration, and foster reasonable expectations. There are also books, workshops, and online training resources that can teach caregiving skills.
Prepare for the road ahead. With your support, your loved one may be able to maintain their independence and live alone in the early stages of dementia. However, their cognitive and physical regression means they will ultimately require around-the-clock help. Putting plans for their future housing and care in place now can help reduce stress in the future, enable your loved one to be involved in the decision-making process, and ensure their legal, financial, and healthcare wishes are respected.
Preserving your loved one's independence
Take steps to slow the progression of symptoms. While treatments are available for some symptoms, lifestyle changes can also be effective weapons in slowing down the disease's progression. Exercising, eating and sleeping well, managing stress, and staying mentally and socially active are among the steps that can improve brain health and slow the process of deterioration. Making healthy lifestyle changes alongside your loved one can also help protect your own health and counter the stress of caregiving.
Help with short-term memory loss. In the early stages, your loved one may need prompts or reminders to help them remember appointments, recall words or names, keep track of medications, or manage bills and money, for example. To help your loved one maintain their independence, instead of simply taking over every task yourself, try to work together as a partnership. Let your loved one indicate when they want help remembering a word, for example, or agree to check their calculations before paying bills. Encourage them to use a notebook or smartphone to create reminders to keep on hand.
Caregiving in the middle stages of Alzheimer's or dementia
As your loved ones Alzheimer's disease or dementia symptoms progress, they'll require more and more careened you'll need more and more support as their caregiver. Your loved one will gradually experience more extensive memory loss, may become lost in familiar settings, no longer beable to drive, and fail to recognize friends and family. Their confusion and rambling speech can make communicating more of a challenge and they may experience disturbing mood and behavior changes along with sleep problems.
You'll need to take on more responsibilities as your loved one loses independence, provide more assistance with the activities of daily living, and find ways of coping with each new challenge. Balancing these tasks with your other responsibilities requires attention, planning, and lots of support.
Ask for help. You cannot do it all alone. It's important to reach out to other family members, friends, or volunteer organizations to help with the daily burden of caregiving. Schedule frequent breaks throughout the day to pursue your hobbies and interests and stay on top of your own health needs. This is not being neglectful or disloyal to your loved one. Caregivers who take regular time away not only provide better care, but they also find more satisfaction in their caretaking roles.
Join a support group. You'll be able to learn from the experiences of others who have faced the same challenges. Connecting with others who know first-hand what you're going through can also help reduce feelings of isolation, fear, and hopelessness.
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Preparing Your Loved Ones Home for Sale
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