More than 16 million Americans serve as unpaid caregivers to someone with a dementia condition, such as Alzheimer’s Disease. That number is expected to grow in the coming decades. Are you one of them? Much research has indicated that caregivers suffer from high levels of physical, financial, and mental burden. In particular, they suffer higher levels of stress and depression than caregivers for other conditions, such as those with a chronic medical condition. Some of the challenge involves the all encompassing nature of caring for someone with a progressive disorder such as Alzheimer’s, involving full time care. There often is little to no opportunity for respite for the caregivers, who increasingly are older themselves. It has been documented that over 1/3 of caregivers are over 65 years of age. In our book on stress management (I Can’t Take It Anymore: How to Manage Stress so It Doesn’t Manage You; Paul G. Longobardi, Ph.D., and Janice B. Longobardi, R.N., B.S.N., P.H.N.), available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542458056, we discuss many strategies to help you better manage the challenges of life. For more information on the authors, the book, and other information on stress, please see our website at www.manageyourhealthandstress.com. However, recently I saw a short article in Time Magazine for 11/5/18 by Jamie Ducharme titled “The silent struggles of Alzheimer’s care”. Six strategies to help caregivers were noted and I thought them worthwhile to mention here:
Stay mindful. There have been studies showing that mindfulness training, i.e. keeping your focus in the moment, helped dementia caregivers accept their own emotions and those of their loved one.
Address stress. Finding positive ways to handle stress, such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, can help caregivers manage their physical and emotional challenges while caregiving. We discuss all these in our book.
Talk about it. It always is good to seek emotional and social support from others. None of us can handle our life challenges to include caregiving all by ourselves. Reach out to others and use support groups which are available in most communities. Just talking about our frustrations and challenges can be liberating to our psychological spirits.
Prioritize your health. It is important to eat well, get some exercise, sleep well, to provide the mental and physical energy to cope with the challenges of caregiving. These have been shown to help lift mood and reduce stress.
Seek training. There are many educational materials as well as professionals who can help caregivers learn how to deal with dementia conditions and suggest adjustments to make in the home. The Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) has many trainings and opportunities for support available.
6. Use local resources. As noted in the Time article, beyond support groups, communities offer programs such as meal delivery, transportation, and sometimes even respite opportunities for caregivers.
With the increasing incidence of dementing disorders there will be increasing need for caregivers who must learn how to care for themselves during the process. Fortunately, there are means to do so. If you are a caregiver or know one, help them or yourself plan for the role.
As always, best wishes on your journey.
Dr. Paul Longobardi
For more information on these and related topics, please see my website at www.successandmindset.com