Caring for someone who has Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be stressful and overwhelming. It's important to take care of yourself. Ask for and accept help.
Talk to the doctor. Find out what treatments might help control symptoms or address behavior problems. Find a support group. Others who have "been there" may be able to help and will understand.
If there are times of day that the person is less confused or more cooperative, take advantage of that in daily routines. Consider using adult day care or respite services. These offer a break with the peace of mind that the patient is being taken care of. Begin to plan for the future. This may include
- Getting financial and legal documents in order
- Looking into assisted living or nursing homes
- Finding out what your health insurance and Medicare will cover
National Institute on Aging
-
Caregiver Guide: Tips for Caregivers of People with Alzheimer's Disease(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/caregiverguide.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/guia.htm
- Caregiver Stress(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_caregiver_stress_lwa.asp
-
Caring for the Alzheimer's Disease Patient: How You Can Provide the Best Care and Maintain Your Own Well-Being(Geriatric Mental Health Foundation) - http://www.gmhfonline.org/gmhf/consumer/factsheets/caring_alzheimer_disease.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.gmhfonline.org/gmhf/consumer/factsheets/caring_alz_diseasecg_sp.html
- Alzheimer's Care: Practical Tips(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alzheimers-caregiver/HO00125/METHOD=print
- Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver(American Geriatrics Society) - http://www.americangeriatrics.org/education/forum/alzcare.shtml
- Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's(National Institute on Aging) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/alzheimerscare/toc.html
-
Eating(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_eating.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.alz.org/resources/diversity/downloads/hl_fssalimentacioneating.pdf
- Alzheimer's Caregiving: Maintain Your Support Network(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alzheimers-caregiver/AZ00018/METHOD=print
- Caregiver Stress(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_caregiver_stress_lwa.asp
-
Caregiving and Depression(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=393
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=537
- Changes in Relationships(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_changes_in_relationships.asp
- Dementia, Caregiving, and Controlling Frustration(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=891
- Grief and Loss(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_grief_and_loss.asp
- Respite Care(Administration on Aging) - http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Resources/fact_sheets/respite_care.aspx
- 10 Tips for Traveling with Your Loved One(Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation) - http://www.alzinfo.org/alzheimers-travel.asp
- Alzheimer's Care Topics(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_publications_care_topics.asp
- Alzheimer's Disease: Treatments(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp
- Alzheimer's: Planning for the Holidays(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alzheimers/HQ00213/METHOD=print
- Alzheimer's: How to Help the Caregivers(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alzheimers/HQ00214/METHOD=print
- Alzheimer's: Variety of Long-Term Care Options Are Available(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alzheimers/AZ00028/METHOD=print
- Behaviors(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_behaviors.asp
-
Caregiver's Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=533
- Choosing Care Providers(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_choosing_care_providers.asp
- Daily Care(Alzheimer's Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_daily_care.asp
-
Hiring In-Home Help(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=407
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=530
-
Home Safety for People with Alzheimer's Disease(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/homesafety.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/proteccion.htm
- Hospitalization Happens: A Guide to Hospital Visits for Loved Ones with Memory Disorders(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/happens.htm
- Long-Distance Caregiving(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/LongDistanceCaregiving/
- Safety Issues(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_safety_issues.asp
- Sleeplessness and Sundowning(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_sleeplessness_and_sundowning.asp
- Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's(National Institute on Aging) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/alzheimerscare/toc.html
- BenefitsCheckUp(National Council on Aging) - https://www.benefitscheckup.org/index.cfm?gohome=true&partner_id=58
- Medicare's Hospice Benefit for Alzheimer's Beneficiaries(Alzheimer's Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.alz.org/national/documents/medicare_topicsheet_hospice_benefit.pdf
- Paying for Healthcare(Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation) - http://www.alzinfo.org/alzheimers-resources-paying-healthcare.asp
- Genetics Home Reference: Alzheimer disease(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=alzheimerdisease
- Article: Who are the clients?: goal displacement in an adult day... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19348105&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Medicine and the arts. Demolition Derby--When a Mind Loses Its... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19318784&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Predictors of burnout in the family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19243371&tool=MedlinePlus
- Alzheimer's Caregivers -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=caregivers[mh]+AND+alzheimer+disease[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- CareFinder: Glossary(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/carefinder/support/glossary.asp
- Senior Housing Finder(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_senior_housing_finder.asp
- To Search for a Provider(Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation) - http://www.alzinfo.org/providers/doctor.aspx
- Alzheimer's Association - http://www.alz.org/
- Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/
- Family Caregiver Alliance - http://www.caregiver.org/
- Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation - http://www.alzinfo.org/
-
National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol/
- Connections Newsletter(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/ResearchInformation/Newsletter/
- Legal & Financial Planning(Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation) - http://www.alzinfo.org/alzheimers-legal-financial.asp
-
Legal Issues in Planning for Incapacity(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=437
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=541
- Monitoring Abuse(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_monitoring_abuse.asp
- National Family Caregiver Support Program(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/HCLTC/Caregiver/index.aspx
- Families Care: Alzheimer's Caregiving in the United States 2004(Alzheimer's Association) - Large PDF file - http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_familiescare.pdf
- Alzheimer's Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html
- Caregivers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/caregivers.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
- Social/Family Issues - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/socialfamilyissues.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Alzheimer's Caregivers is the National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Alzheimer's Caregivers - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/alzheimerscaregivers.html