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Advice for the Care of Alzheimer Patients

By: Caleb Hetzler

A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can initially be very devastating. "Why Me?"is an angry outcry of Alzheimer's patients. syndrome, and those who take of them may feel helpless and unsure about the progression of the illness. Alzheimer care can be a 20 year long running odyssey for the 5 million patients and their families, so it is absolutely critical to seek outside help.

The challenge of Alzheimer's from a medical perspective is that the disease progresses at different rates in each patient, with each suffering from different symptoms. A few behaviors seen in Alzheimer's patients are wandering off, or thinking they can drive when they really cannot. Other earlier signs of alzheimers include misplacing keys, forgetting names and becoming irrationally upset without remembering why. When the disease progresses to its final stages, a patient can no longer recognize family members or friends, or even talk. "Every individual is so uniquely different,its not black or white,here is how you handle (of the sick person)," according to Connie Kudlacek, who previously headed the Alzheimers Association Midlands Chapter. In the later stages we need to focus on the positives instead of the negatives in order to nurture their personality and give them opportunities for success.

Why is it so emotionally strenuous to care for someone with Alzheimers? Professor Jacquelyn Frank at the Frank of Ulndy's Center For Aging and Community offers a perspective. When you're caring for Charlie, you realize that he's not Charlie anymore. It's the experience of losing and mourning. She characterizes the feelings as "anticipatory grief." This relates to the fear of losing someone before they're actually dead. Also, there is "ambiguous loss," the conflicting experience of taking care of a person who is alive in body, but lacking ability to function socially. Frank highlights the importance of airing out emotions in an Alzheimers support group to maintain a positive attitude in the face of such isolation and hopelessness.

One way to help treat Alzheimer's disease is by reducing the patient's frustrations. In the beginning you may have a hard time trying to give your loved one a bath or feed them,but as time goes on you will understand their natural schedule of when they will be the easiest to work with. Alzheimers' patients and their caregivers do better with established routines as this makes the day less unpredictable and more manageable. Alzheimer's patient caregivers are helped greatly by restricting difficult decision-making. Too many choices can be intimidating, such as a closet full of clothes, but a choice between two outfits may be do-able.

Take into consideration that you'll need to be flexible and adaptable when giving Alzheimer care. The ever changing moods of an Alzheimer's patient can be hard to adjust to. Suddenly he or she may not like a favorite food anymore or will resist wearing a certain color. The patient may either not feeling like taking a shower or may insist that his normal life not be interrupted, even if there is a possibility of a "black out." Remembering that the person cannot help this will remind you not to take it personally, so just take a deep breath and relax. Try to approach it in a non obvious way. For instance, if your loved one insists on wearing the same clothes every day, try switching the worn outfit while he or she is bathing or buying multiple identical outfits.

Alzheimer's patients may require up to 20 years of care, while Cancer and Heart Disease sufferers typically only need three to five years. The gradual deterioration of the Alzheimer patient can be partitcularly demoralizing for the person caring for someone they care about. Because there is no cure for Alzheimers disease learning about it is the key.

Article Source: Main Articles

Caleb Hetzler- Early Alzheimers & Alzheimers Association & Alzheimers Information

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