When caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) take on the responsibility of a loved one without regularly scheduled time off periods, it’s a recipe for disaster resulting in caregiver stress and burnout.
Family members of those with AD need to learn how to ask for help. Whether it’s asking a friend, neighbor or hiring a professional respite service, caregivers really need a time out in order to maintain a beneficial level of mental and physical health.
Don’t expect people to read your mind, it’s a caregiver’s job to talk to others and ask for help when feeling stressed out and/or overwhelmed. Make an attempt to keep family members in the loop and enlist help on an ongoing basis-not after it’s too late and built up tension and stress has already paid a toll on you mental and physical health.
Consider using volunteers for respite care if paid Alzheimer’s help is out of the question. There are many online resources offering free help with Alzheimer’s-when it comes to getting respite care in the home. Church volunteers are another viable option to get help with Alzheimer’s care.
Practice giving up control, you can’t micro manage every aspect of care for a loved one with AD-particularly in the later stages of the disease. Learning to delegate is vital to a caregiver’s long term health and well-being.
Be sure to say “yes” when friends and family members offer help. Even if you don’t feel the person is well equipped to handle all aspects of care for your loved one, you can employ him/her to assist with cleaning, yard work, grocery shopping or other errands.
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