Alzheimers Care Giving While Maintaining Your Own Health - Answering Service Resources

Home
>
Elder Care
>
Alzheimers Care Giving While Maintaining Your Own Health

Alzheimers Care Giving While Maintaining Your Own Health

Just for a moment I want you to imagine that you are coming out of a very deep sleep. If you have ever had surgery try to remember the way you felt as you were trying to make sense of things as you awoke. As you imagine or remember this sensation do you find yourself wondering if it is morning or night? Are you trying to remember where you are? Do you have a startle reaction and think for a moment that you are late for work or forgot to pick up your children at school? I have had that upsetting feeling if I wake up in the middle of the night or even after a nap. Now imagine that same fog every moment of your life.......

So many care givers find themselves frustrated with an Alzheimer's sufferer. They may say things like "He just doesn't seem to care if I am with him or not" or "He doesn't enjoy doing anything any more." I know that it is so hard to accept the changes in your loved one and know that this is going to be your reality. If you can remind yourself that the behaviors are organic it will help. The plaque is building up and spreading over the surface of the brain just as a grassfire moves across a dry field. As it covers more areas your loved falls deeper into that fog. Alzheimer's disease doesn't show up like a broken one or a surgical scar but the effects are just as real.

When the things they say or do cause you to feel angry or sad do you best to remember that it is the disease...not your loved one. That's when it is time for some care giver TLC.

Care giver burnout is a very real occurrence. If you are caring for someone you must include your own needs each day. Your health may decline at a faster rate than the person you are caring for if your dietary, emotional and physical needs are not met. Skipping your checkups with Dr.s is not an option.

You may be asking "How am I supposed to do all of this all by myself?" The answer is simple. You can't do it all alone. The first step to healthy care giving is accepting the fact that you have limitations. Every human being does. You can only stay awake, maintain your health and keep up with the demands for a limited amount of time. When you reach your limit you may find yourself suffering from care giver burnout. You may have trouble concentrating, experience nervous tension, and you may find it difficult to fight off resentment toward your loved one or others in your family that you feel should be assisting you.

Reach out. Call upon your family, friends, church and community organizations. Your local hospitals will have information regarding community resources. This information can usually be found by contacting the Social Services Department. Another good resource is the Alzheimer's Association. By taking care of your health you will, in turn be a better care giver.

Deborah Uetz

Author of Into the Mist, When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's Disease

Deborah Uetz
Author of Into the Mist, When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's Disease

In The News:

Ontario nursing homes poorly staffed, more likely to restrain ...
The Canadian Press, TORONTO - Jul 4, 2008
"None of these people are going to be cured," said Armstrong, adding a complete philosophical overhaul of the province's elder-care system is needed. ...

Healthcare lessons from the elderly
Boston Globe, United States - Jul 4, 2008
The Massachusetts Legislature created the regulatory structure for Senior Care Options, in part, because more than 6 percent of our elderly live in nursing ...

Care of Elderly People in Our Society Today
American Chronicle, CA - 20 hours ago
Indeed, in the United Kingdom this subject is currently one of the main debates running in the media, asking the question: who is going to care for our ...

CARE 'A+', 'PR1+' to Elder Pharmaceuticals bank loans
Economic Times, India - Jul 4, 2008
MUMBAI: - CARE has reaffirmed 'PR1+' rating to the commercial paper programme of Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd aggregating to Rs 75 crore (enhanced from Rs 50 ...

Opinion: Nursing homes do care
Brookline TAB, MA - Jul 2, 2008
... result of an injury, illness or the inability to live safely at home without complete care and support of professionals familiar with elder care issues. ...

The new idea in elder care: Membership
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - Jun 21, 2008
At a time when so much of the nation's debate about its aging population focuses on paying for care, Christian and the program's boosters are asking an ...

Business briefcase
The Herald-Times (subscription), IN - 19 minutes ago
Liz Kalina and Marsha Clark of Elder Care Connections Inc. are pleased to announce the licenser of its personal services agency with the state of Indiana. ...

Britain's Pathway to Euthanasia - NHS Protocols for Dehydrating ...
Lifesite, PA - Jul 3, 2008
... method of euthanising elderly and disabled patients, even while "mercy killing" remains officially illegal, says a prominent expert in elder care. ...

Call for regulation of elderly care workers after gagging
Wairarapa Times Age, New Zealand - Jul 3, 2008
By Nathan Crombie The gagging of a rest home resident in Auckland has sparked an urgent Wairarapa call to regulate elderly care workers nationally to ...

News-Times
Elder care corporations tough to pin down
News-Times, OR - Jun 25, 2008
By Christian Gaston And Lee Van Der Voo Forest Grove lawyer Tim Marble says complex organizational structures make filing lawsuits against care facilities ...

elder care - Google News

Answering Service ResourceAnswering Service Resource