Alzheimer’s Care-giving: Is it Time to Ask for Help?
Alzheimer’s care-giving is tough for anyone who attempts it. You must learn to be true to the person you are caring for, and you must be true to yourself. There might come a time when the caring that you provide is just not enough. You should never feel too proud to ask for some additional assistance.
The question is when is it time to ask for help? Do you need temporary help, or is it time that you looked into assisted living or other permanent solutions?
11 Alzheimer’s Care-giving Tips
Here are 11 tips to assist you as an Alzheimer’s caregiver:
Family Support – If a friend or family member is caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, it is important to offer all the help and support you can.
Learn about the Disease – For many caregivers, the more they learn about Alzheimer’s disease, the better they can deal with it. This can come in the form of educating yourself.
Find Support Groups – In many areas across the United States there are dependable support groups to help you. They can discuss what others are doing successfully, so you can learn from their failures and success. They might also cover everything from better ways to find health insurance to cover your needs, to other forms of financial assistance.
Counseling and Training – One way to find help is through various counseling and training services. They can assist you with better ways to be a caregiver, and on ways to reduce stress. This can allow you to evaluate your loved one’s needs, and it can determine if you might need additional help for their care. What matter the most is that you take care of your health, too.
Online Support Groups – Online support groups can help you connect with people who are in the same situation as you. It is a smart way to make connections and remove some of the unknown about Alzheimer’s care giving.
Adult Day Care Centers – Adult day care centers are ideal for working families who need more time away from their loved ones to go to work. In addition, these professionals can help further evaluate your loved one, so it helps make it easy for you to provide them quality care, too. They usually have set times when they are open. You take them there during the day and pick them up in the afternoon.
Respite Care – Respite care is a type of Alzheimer’s care-giving. It gives them a chance to run errands, or use some free time to do whatever they want to unwind. This is the kind of care that can make the difference between giving up, or fighting on and not searching for an assisted care facility.
Contact Local Agencies – Local agencies store a wealth of care-giving information. They can help you with doctor’s appointments and can hook you up with other support groups in the area. They can locate Meals on Wheels, or assist you with other needs. All you need to do is contact them and find out for yourself.
Stay Fit – There are many caregivers in the United States who do not exercise or keep their bodies in shape. Taking care of a senior loved one can be a demanding duty. See if you can find someone to take your place temporarily to get some exercise and eat properly. You also need to have a life of your own, too. Try to do something with your family and friends to break the monotony.
Find Out Who Needs Help – Maybe you are not a caregiver, but you know someone who is involved in care-giving that might need help. You should reach out and ask them if there is anything you can do to assist them. Make sure you look for signs of fatigue. Alternatively, maybe they are gaining weight because they are not eating right, and are not getting enough exercise.
Assisted Living Facilities – When you have given your all but discovered that the work is too overbearing, it might be time to find an assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities provide professional care-giving, but allow seniors to remain in a familiar house sitting. It is a way for families to continue visiting their loved ones when they have the time, but not need to care for them 24/7. Most families are overwhelmingly happy when it comes to assisted living.
Alzheimer’s Care-giving – Conclusion
Alzheimer’s care-giving is rewarding, but it is very stressful, and it will consume most of your time. However, for many it is a way to give back something to a parent or grandparent. It is also a way to keep a loved one in a family setting for as long as possible.
Learn what your best options are and find out what is best for you and your elderly loved one.
