networkingleavemealone

TAKECAREOFYOURSELFHOWTORECOGNIZEANDMANAGECAREGIVERSTRESSAreyousooverwhelmedbytakingcareofsomeoneelsethatyou'veneglectedyourownphysical,mentalandemotionalwell-beingToavoidputtingyourownhealthatrisk,considerthefollowingtips.
1.
Takeabreak.
ConsiderusingrespitecareservicestoallowyouatemporaryrestfromcaregivingwhilethepersonwithAlzheimer'sdiseasecontinuestoreceivecareinasafeenvironment.
Visitalz.
org/caretolearnmore.
2.
Seekoutcommunityresources.
ContacttheAlzheimer'sAssociationoruseouronlineCommunityResourceFinder(alz.
org/CRF)tolocatedementiacareresourcesinyourarea.
Adultdayprograms,in-homeassistance,companionsandmealdeliveryarejustsomeoftheservicesthatcanhelpyoumanagedailytasks.
3.
Becomeaneducatedcaregiver.
Asthediseaseprogresses,itmaybecomenecessarytoadoptnewcaregivingskills.
TheAssociationoffersprogramstohelpyoubetterunderstandandcopewithcommonbehavioralandpersonalitychangesthatmayoccur.
VisittheAlzheimer'sandDementiaCaregiverCenteratalz.
org/caretolearnmoreandaccesscaretrainingresources,includingfreeonlineworkshops.
10WAYSTOMANAGESTRESSANDBEAHEALTHIERCAREGIVER4.
Gethelpandfindsupport.
Our24/7Helpline(800.
272.
3900),ALZConnectedonlinesocialnetworkingcommunity(alzconnected.
org)andlocalsupportgroups(alz.
org/findus)aregoodresources.
Ifstressbecomesoverwhelming,seekhelpfromadoctororcounselor.
5.
Takecareofyourownhealth.
Trytoeatwell,exerciseandgetplentyofrest.
Makingsurethatyouarehealthycanhelpyoubeabettercaregiver.
6.
Manageyourlevelofstress.
Stresscancausephysicalproblems(blurredvision,stomachirritation,highbloodpressure)andchangesinbehavior(irritability,lackofconcentration,changeinappetite).
Noteyoursymptomsanddiscusswithadoctor,asneeded.
7.
Acceptchangesastheyoccur.
PeoplewithAlzheimer'schangeovertimeandsodotheirneeds.
Theymayrequirecarebeyondwhatyoucanprovideonyourown.
Becomingawareofcommunityresources—fromhomecareservicestoresidentialcare—canmakethetransitioneasier.
Sowillthesupportandassistanceofthosearoundyou.
8.
Makelegalandfinancialplans.
PuttinglegalandfinancialplansinplaceafteranAlzheimer'sdiagnosisallowsthepersonwiththediseasetoparticipateindecision-making.
Havingtheseplansinplacecanprovidecomforttotheentirefamily.
Manydocuments,includingadvancedirectives,canbepreparedwithoutthehelpofalegalprofessional.
However,ifyou'reunsureabouthowtocompletedocumentsormakefinancialplans,youmaywanttoseekassistancefromanattorneyspecializinginelderlaw,afinancialadviserwhoisfamiliarwithelderorlong-termcareplanning,orboth.
9.
Knowyou'redoingyourbest.
Rememberthatthecareyouprovidemakesadifferenceandthatyou'redoingthebestyoucan.
Youmayfeelguiltybecauseyoucan'tdomore,butcareneedsincreaseasAlzheimer'sprogresses.
Regardlessofhowcareisdelivered,youcanmakesurethatthepersonwiththediseaseiswellcaredforandsafe.
10.
Visityourdoctorregularly.
Taketimetogetregularcheckupsandpayattentiontoanyexhaustion,stress,sleeplessnessorchangesinappetiteorbehavior.
Ignoringsymptomscancauseyourphysicalandmentalhealthtodecline.
10COMMONSIGNSOFCAREGIVERSTRESS1.
Denialaboutthediseaseanditseffectonthepersonwhohasbeendiagnosed.
IknowMomisgoingtogetbetter.
2.
AngeratthepersonlivingwithAlzheimer'sorfrustrationthatheorshecan'tdothethingsthatoncecamenaturally.
Heknowshowtogetdressed—he'sjustbeingstubborn.
3.
Socialwithdrawalfromfriendsandactivities.
Idon'tcareaboutvisitingneighborsanymore.
4.
Anxietyaboutthefuture.
WhathappenswhenheneedsmorecarethanIcanprovide5.
Depressionthataffectsyourabilitytocope.
Ijustdon'tcareanymore.
6.
Exhaustionthatinterfereswithdailytasks.
I'mtootiredforthis.
7.
Sleeplessnesscausedbyworrying.
Whatifshewandersoutofthehouse8.
Irritabilitythattriggersnegativeresponses.
Leavemealone!
9.
Lackofconcentrationthatdisruptsfamiliartasks.
Iwassobusy,Iforgotmyappointment.
10.
Healthproblemsthatbegintotakeamentalandphysicaltoll.
Ican'trememberthelasttimeIfeltgood.
TheAlzheimer'sAssociationistheleadingvoluntaryhealthorganizationinAlzheimer'scare,supportandresearch.
OurmissionistoeliminateAlzheimer'sdiseasethroughtheadvancementofresearch;toprovideandenhancecareandsupportforallaffected;andtoreducetheriskofdementiathroughthepromotionofbrainhealth.
OurvisionisaworldwithoutAlzheimer'sdisease.
800.
272.
3900|alz.
orgThisisanofficialpublicationoftheAlzheimer'sAssociationbutmaybedistributedbyunaffiliatedorganizationsandindividuals.
SuchdistributiondoesnotconstituteanendorsementofthesepartiesortheiractivitiesbytheAlzheimer'sAssociation.
2017Alzheimer'sAssociation.
Allrightsreserved.
Rev.
Dec17770-10-0001alz.
org/care800.
272.
3900alz.
org/findusalz.
org/CRFalzconnected.
orgTheAlzheimer'sandDementiaCaregiverCenterprovidesinformationandresources.
CommunityResourceFinder-Findlocalresources.
ALZConnected–Connectwithothercaregiverswhocanrelatetoyoursituation.
We'reincommunitiesnationwide.
24/7Helpline–Availableallday,everyday.