Supporting somebody with Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia is going to be difficult. There is simply no easy way around it. It doesn’t matter if it’s your mother or father, a spouse, your brother or sister, a grandparent, or even a neighbor or close friend.
When you act as a family caregiver, taking the brunt of responsibility for their well-being, care, and support, it is going to weigh on you. It is going to cause you tremendous stress.
You might be running them from one doctor’s appointment to the next, from one meeting to another, to the grocery store, and then onto the next shop in the next shop in the next shop. Meanwhile, you still have your own life to live, and your own responsibilities.
If you want to learn how to handle caregiver stress a little better, especially when providing care to somebody with Alzheimer’s, we have put together a few ideas to keep in mind.
First, admit you need help.
We often put ourselves in situations that are beyond our capability. Most people have no prior experience supporting somebody with Alzheimer’s, and they quickly get in over their heads.
Sure, it seems simple enough in the beginning. The memory loss is affecting daily life, yes, but the senior can still do most things for himself or herself.
Over time, though, the stress will put pressure on your life. It’s okay to ask for help. Alzheimer’s care through an agency is a great option, so long as you realize you do need to support yourself.
Second, find a support group.
You don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of other people right in your own community who have and are dealing with the same exact frustrations, challenges, and questions. These support groups are a lot easier to find these days through social media and other online outlets than they were in the past.
So, it shouldn’t be a matter of difficulty finding a support group, but whether or not you make the time for them, which you most certainly should.
Third, set realistic goals.
Yes, you might want your mother to defy all the odds. You might want her to be the outlier, the one who stays lucid and manages to take care of herself for the next 10 or 20 years, beyond what anyone else with Alzheimer’s was able to do, but let’s be realistic.
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s yet and despite everything we hear about regarding breakthroughs, that is not on the horizon, not yet.
Make sure the goals you set are reasonable, especially in light of how this disease progresses.
Fourth, consider respite care.
That means a break. You can contact a local home care agency and get an experienced in-home care provider to support your aging loved one for a few days a week, a week or two at a time, or just for a few hours every week.
That would give you and the senior much-needed space that can positively influence your relationship, rather than letting the symptoms of Alzheimer’s tear it apart.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Care in Omaha, NE, please contact the caring staff at Caretech today at (402) 697-5121
Caretech provides the best care services for seniors and families throughout Nebraska including Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island, Kearney, Fremont, Norfolk, Hastings, Columbus, Papillon, North Platte, La Vista, Scottsbluff, South Sioux City, Beatrice, Lexington, Chalco, Gretna, Gering, York, and surrounding areas.
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