More than 15 million US citizens give unpaid care for people who have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s caregivers are nothing short of heroes, providing care and offering love and support for their elderly. And, they do this without looking at the gray future of the disease that currently has no cure.
The month of November is National Caregiver Month and National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. So, it is more important than usual to give credit to Alzheimer’s caregivers for their dedication and selflessness during this period. Here we will provide you with a look at three things that you didn’t know about Alzheimer’s caregivers.
Alzheimer’s caregivers rarely ask family or friends for help
Like many other individuals, caregivers think they can do it all by themselves. Also, they often don’t feel comfortable asking for help. But caregiving can be hard, and exhausting, especially for those who have no support. So it is crucial that you as an outsider, who knows Alzheimer’s caregivers, to offer help instead.
Source: lcmedsoc.org
They don’t care for themselves
Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer can take a toll on the caregiver. When you care for someone with this disease, it is a full-time job. And, when you are fully committed to caring about someone else, you forget about yourself. It is essential that if you know an Alzheimer’s caregiver, tell them to take a pause and care a bit for themselves.
Caregivers need education on the disease and its different states
Caregivers often mistakenly think they know everything about the disease because they spent so much time with a patient. They believe that they know best about how to treat their loved one. But, with time, and as diseases progresses, they will need to re-educate themselves. They need to participate in work groups or seminars to stay informed on Alzheimer’s.
Featured Image Source: www.sheknows.com
