What You Need if You Care for Someone With Alzheimer’s
As the numbers of Alzheimer’s patients increase, so to will the number of caregivers. Most times caregiving falls to the family. If you are starting to care for an aging loved one, or already are, here are some ways to reach out for help so that your health and well being is not compromised. We help families everyday in St. Louis Park MN and surrounding areas with senior home care. Check us out at http://angelcaremn.com.
What You Need if You Care for Someone With Alzheimer’s
6 obvious — but often overlooked — helpers when you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia
Taking care of yourself while you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease
Most people simply dive in to the responsibility of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease and then take it one day at a time. Fair enough. But before you find yourself combating both his disease and your own emotional strain and battle fatigue, be sure you have these stress-busters on your side.
1. Good self-care
Don’t even think of skimming by this one. You really do need to come first on the priority list, not last. It’s almost too easy to neglect your own needs when you’re juggling caregiving, a job, a marriage, and children.
But just as with tending to a child, caring for a sick person can be depleting. If you fail to keep an eye on your own mental and physical health, you’re vulnerable to everything from colds and other illnesses right up to burnout.
No one can keep up with the round-the-clock demands of Alzheimer’s care — even in the early stages — without periodic relief. Indeed, caregiver burnout is a primary reason Alzheimer’s patients enter nursing homes.
Make time for yourself every single day, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk while a neighbor pays a visit. Don’t abandon all your former interests and hobbies to support someone with Alzheimer’s.
You don’t have to eat the same food as him (especially if he’s down to simple, easy-to-manage foods), but neither do you have to subsist on drive-through fare. Stock up on nutritious, easy-to-grab snacks if time is an issue.
Getting enough sleep is a special concern: To help yourself fall asleep, try incorporating some relaxation exercises or meditation into your nighttime routine. Some people benefit from yoga, tai chi, or deep breathing exercises. A good tension release is progressive muscle relaxation, a technique that calls for tightening and relaxing all of your major muscle groups, one by one.
Your wind-down can be as classic as a warm bath or a good book. Whatever your choice, make it routine — at about the same time each evening, if you can — to help your mind associate the activity with rest. Reorganize your bedroom so that it’s a haven rather than a cluttered workspace.
Get a medical exam yourself, and be sure to tell your doctor about your situation. She may be able to give you some strategies to deal with stress and anxiety, and can help you identify signs of clinical depression and, if needed, treatment options.
2. The ability to ask for help
Alzheimer’s care can be all-consuming, and it’s a common caregiver temptation — and mistake — to take it all on yourself. Having ample help keeps Alzheimer’s caregivers functioning longer and more smoothly.
Of course, asking for help isn’t always easy. You may not want to bother others with what you see as a family matter or your responsibility. Sometimes it seems easier to do it yourself than to get another person involved.
In fact, most people around you are more than happy to pitch in but often have no idea what they can do for you, so they may not volunteer except in a general way. When you do ask, they’re apt to be relieved that they can be of use and have the opportunity to show their affection for you or the person with Alzheimer’s.
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