How to Care for Someone Who has Alzheimer's

Hello, I am a stay at home 24/7 caregiver to my mom. I have been doing this for the past 7 years. I will give you some of the tools you will need to better help the person in your life with Alzheimer's Disease.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience.
• Sense of humor.
• Compassion.
• Rest, if you can get it.
• Support group.

1. Try not to take it personally. There may be times you will be verbally abused no matter how kind you are. I find it is more about the person who has the disease than about me.

2. Sometimes the only thing you can do is to walk away. Take a deep breath, ah. When you go back to your patient, friend or loved one, do so with a nice big smile and say "hello, how are you today?" Or your greeting of choice. Whatever the prior situation was, is now forgotten. As I see it, This is the only good thing to come of memory loss.

3. Have a since of humor. If words in a conversation don't fit or are forgotten, don't worry about it. My loved one has a vocabulary all her own. I just act like I know what she is talking about and make it up as I go. It's our own special time. Sometimes we laugh. You see she knows it's not right, but when I go along with her, it makes it funny.

4. The person you are caring for is in a very scary place. Try to imagine what it would be like to be all by yourself in a room full of strangers. In a country where you can't understand the language. You know you should understand the language, but you can't.

5. Have compassion. This is a human being just like you, the difference is, this person has a disease. All the memories may be gone from the brain, but this is still a person who once lived a normal productive life and should be respected, as we all would hope to be. Try not to down talk, especially in front of the person. Their memory is impaired, not their hearing.

6. Find a support group. If you can't get away find one online. I know you have a computer because you are reading this article. My online group has been a lifesaver.

7. 

   This is a picture of the monitor and camera I use.

8. 

   This is a picture of the door alarm I use.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep all doors and windows secured.
• Peel and stick alarms that go off if a door or window is opened.
• Cameras & monitor. You will be able to watch what is going on when you are busy in another room.
• This is perhaps the most difficult thing you will be called on to do. Whenever, if ever, help is offered take it. If it isn't, ask for it, you will need the brake.
• Register with the "safe return" program. You will find it through your local Alzheimer's Association.
• If you have to walk away from a volatile situation make sure your p, f, or l/o is safe. This is when door alarms and cameras are most needed.

Resources

• Alzheimer's Support Group

[inhizimage]

on 11/7/2009 Thanks for the article- My father has Alzheimers and I feel your pain. Good tips and I completely agree about not taking it personal and having a good sense of humor. It's the only way for this disease to not consume you. Thanks for sharing.

[klawrence2004]

on 11/7/2009 God bless anyone who is tasked with carrying such and disease and the caregiver. I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must be.

[Lolabug26]

on 5/28/2009 Excellent Article! Thank you for the information.

[tracysmith159]

on 5/28/2009 Thanks for the advice and steps of how to care for someone with Alzheimers's.