Words of advice
- You must take care of yourself, because if something happens to you, who is going to take care of your loved one?
- You can’t do it alone. You need help. Find a good caregiver’s group, or network with friends or relatives.
- Make a list of friends and family that can possibly help you. Check them off one by one. Some may say they will help, but maybe they won’t. Just keep going through the list.
- Consider tasks that would be easier if someone else took care of them for you. For instance, they could pick up groceries or drop off dry cleaning on your behalf.
- Each situation is unique, and it may feel like the worst you’ve ever faced. However, remember that there are always others going through even tougher circumstances. Keep moving forward and don’t give up.
- If you know someone with a family member or friend dealing with Alzheimer’s or any type of dementia, we hope you’ll share this podcast with them.
Terminology
(Figurative) Bad news to a degree that it causes the recipient to feel physically affected.
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. It is the most common form of dementia.
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain.
Mixed dementia is a condition in which brain changes of more than one cause of dementia occur simultaneously.
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning and independent function.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or frontotemporal degeneration refers to a group of disorders caused by progressive nerve cell loss in the brain’s frontal lobes (the areas behind your forehead).
Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid (BAY-tuh AM-uh-loyd) that build up in the spaces between nerve cells.
Tangles are twisted fibers of another protein called tau (rhymes with “wow”) that build up inside cells.
The Caregiver Role: Caregivers can be spouses, partners, adult children, parents, other relatives (siblings, aunts, nieces/nephews, in-laws, grandchildren), friends, neighbors. Whatever your relationship with the person you’re caring for, it’s important that you add the title caregiver to the list of things you are.
As Alzheimer’s and other dementias progress, behaviors change—as does your role as caregiver.
With in-home care, the patient stays in their home and caregivers and or home care nurses visit the home either on a part-time basis, or an as-needed basis.
Companion care is a non-medical caregivier assigned to a patient, usually, though not always, through some form of outside service like Visiting Angels or Home Instead. The caregiver should be carefully matched through thorough screening.
An adult day care is an away-from-location where a patient can go on a part-time or full-time basis for care so the caregiver has time to take care of errands and the patient has an opportunity to enjoy activities and meet people. Many states require adult day care to be licensed, certified or both.
Adult day care can be divided into two broad types: social and medical. Both types typically offer meals and social activities, but medical day care provides more intensive health and therapy services.
Useful links
The Alzheimer’s Association Chapter in your area can provide referrals.
Find your local Alzheimer’s Association chapter.
Other very helpful organizations: