Changing Challenges of Alzheimer Care

The Changing Challenges of Alzheimer Care

How did last year’s caregiving experience go? Caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s or related memory disorder is an ongoing learning process, so if last year was a hard challenge, this year can be better.
Alzheimer caregiving is like parenting children; the parent must keep up with the child’s growth to relate well. Similarly, relating with someone with Alzheimer’s, has to be flexible because the progressive nature of the disease. Alzheimer’s has been described as human development in reverse. Children expand their learning as they grow; persons with Alzheimer’s are losing abilities as the illness progresses. The caregiver must recognize when changes occur and respond accordingly. What worked last year may not this year; adapt your behavior to the decline in ability.

Some suggestions to get you on your way:
• Observe the level of frustration he expresses when trying to do something.
• Offer to help but ask permission. “Do you need some help?” “May I help you?”
• Give only as much help as he needs to proceed with the task. Often all that he needs is a ‘jump start’ and then can figure out the rest. Don’t take over!
• Visual reminders are great ways to give him the jump start. Simply putting something in eye’s view prompts him to begin a task.
• Structure his day; thinking up something to do and organizing is hard for him. It might be time to think of a day program to offer that structure.
• Keep the person socially engaged but not overwhelmed. Doing things with others has a double benefit. It adds purpose to the day and offers socialization.
• The person with Alzheimer’s needs to feel in charge of his life, feel valued and emotionally safe. It is up to the caregiver to provide these.

Beverly’s book Matters of the Mind…and the Heart is available on line @ www.StilMee.com for an autographed copy or go to
www.strategicbookpublishing.com/MattersOfTheMindAndTheHeart.html