Guide for Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is a disease that is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration. If a very young child progresses through his developmental stages, this disease does to a person the opposite of that. A person afflicted with this would have a declining activities of daily living. In simple terms, it would seem like the person with Alzheimer's is unlearning the things that he has known and has been doing for the past years.

As the disease progresses, there would be short-term memory loss. There would be an impairment in speech, in movements, and in the ability to make decisions and planning. The person would experience disorientation and disinhibition. Dramatic behavioral changes take place and would manifest in either violent outbursts or excessive passivity.

To see these symptoms in a loved-one is heart-breaking for family members. In some cases, the family decides to let those who are trained to take care of the sick person. There may be home cares and facilities who take these individuals under their care and attention.

Still, there are some families who would rather let the sick person stay in their home. They want to personally attend to the person's needs. To do this must really be a huge challenge. The person who does this could be a grown child or a spouse. Of course, there are other children or significant other to attend to as well. The work is there, chores need to be taken care of, and there are many other concerns to look into.

The stress of someone taking care of a person with Alzheimer's disease is immense. Here are a few coping suggestions that these angels could consider, as they do their selfless job and devotion.

1. Learn about the disease. This would be a very helpful tool. If you know about what you are dealing with, then you would have the answers to most of your questions. Knowing the symptoms of Alzheimer's, the possible onset of changes, and the things that could still happen depending on the stage of the disease are important facts to know. Knowing medical facts, and done empirical studies would widen your knowledge about the disorder.

There is tremendously large volume of literature on Alzheimer's today. Aside from informing you of the pathological aspects and clinical features of the disease, these materials would allow you to discover ways to help improve functional performance of the patient. There are also a lot of reading resources about legal information about the disease. Furthermore, there are hundreds of books written by family members and friends of individuals who also got afflicted by this disorder. Through their written experiences and accounts, you would be able to learn how they dealt with certain issues in physically taking care of the patient. At the same time, you would be able to learn more how others coped and managed with the task of extending care for an Alzheimer's patient.

2. Be realistic. The first point is for you to be accepting of the realities of the disease. You might be taking care of your spouse, or your parent, or a close family member. It is necessary to be aware of the changes in the person brought about by the disease. It could be a heart-breaking ordeal, but it would help to be realistic enough and to bear in mind that this person has changed a lot already, and is changing in a dramatic way. The person's needs would already be different, together with his abilities and interests. If before he appreciated your cooking, you might deal with a fighting bout with the person about the kind of food that he now wants. You should realize that the person is not interested anymore in the hobbies that you used to do together. He or she might not even remember how that hobby is actually done. Enjoy the past and old memories. But be realistic in knowing that you cannot bring those happy moments anymore. There could be a few lucid moments, but they would not last.

Also, be realistic about your own capabilities. The task is both physically and emotionally draining, tiring and stressful. You may feel that you are doing this out of love and devotion, but you are no super hero. You would also get tired and sick sometimes. Know what you can do, and those that you really cannot. Know your limits.

3. Find a support group. Your family and friends should be there for you to turn to. When things get very tough, you should find someone who would listen to you as you pour out your emotions. You might not really want a huge miracle that would eliminate all your woes about taking care of the patient, but it would be a great help if someone would really stop, listen and try to empathize with you. Other family members who see the regular scenarios with the patient could actually relate to your concern, so they could give you a few words when things feel so difficult and hard to deal with.

There are plenty of online support groups as well. They have message boards and forum sites that would allow you and other members to exchange notes and experiences. This could be a good venue for friendship and support. Some of these websites include the Alzheimer's Association Online Community (http://alzheimers.infopop.cc/eve), the Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Online (http://alzonline.phhp.ufl.edu/), the Care-givers (http://www.care-givers.com/) and the National Family Caregivers Association (http://www.nfcacares.org/).

There could be other support groups in your area, so ask your doctors and friends about this. These groups normally hold meetings and other activities. It helps to be in touch with people who share the same concerns as yours.

4. Give time to yourself. You deserve to rest and to provide time for yourself. If there is someone who could take your place and be with the person that you are taking care of, then take the time to do what you want to do. Do not feel guilty when you get the chance to go out and have dinner with old friends occasionally. Find some pleasurable time away from home. When others offer to help, accept the offer. You need that little freedom once in a while.

Also, going to the grocery, or the bank, or to do simple chores outside the house would be a breather. Grab a good book, and when the patient is busy watching TV or sleeping, then enjoy that time for yourself. If you want to involve yourself in a hobby like knitting or scrapbooking or other crafts, then enjoy do so. You deserve those little fun, creative and fruitful moments.

5. Keep your sense of humor and other coping styles. As the old saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine". A healthy humor would always keep you going, most especially on days when the person you are taking care of is cranky, or accusing you of stealing his chips, or declaring war against the whole world. Also, find time to read books and magazines that are enjoyable and humorous. Try to watch comedy shows or movies on DVDs. Laughter would really help brighten your days.

Different people cope in different ways. Whatever works for you, feel free to apply them depending on the situation. Some are very spiritual and feel that finding time to keep quiet in prayer is a good way for them to release stress, take stock and be ready for another day. There are people who feel comfortable in doing journals, so they could express their happiness, sadness and anxieties in writing.

Coping style for others may be keeping themselves very busy. When their minds and hands are working, they are able to ignore issues that may cause them to feel sad. Exercising is another good outlet for releasing tension, not to mention that it really does wonders to your body. Walk on the treadmill, dance inside a room, go up and down the stairs. Others try to simply be in control of their situation, that they try to be as objective as they can. They go on with their lives, and enjoy their relationships with family members and friends. They are realistic enough because they are very much aware of the condition and the changes that are happening in the life of a person with Alzheimer's disease.