Alzheimer’s disease support comes in various shapes and sizes, finding what’s best for you and your loved one may feel overwhelming. We’ve put together a quick guide to help!

What’s One of The Biggest Concerns?

Many times we hear family caregivers who feel a sense of guilt looming over them as they begin to reach out to others for support. Unfortunately, help in our society has a stigma associated with it that prevents others from taking full advantage. As a family caregiver, whatever sort of support you are interested in or come to use, there should be no sense or feeling of guilt as you are only helping yourself become a better provider and your loved one life a greater quality of life.

Patient Support for those with Alzheimer’s Disease

There are various patient support routes that can be taken in order to help your loved one live a greater quality of life. The one thing you must remember, a diagnosis does not mean your loved one has lost all sense of who they are. Patient support should focus on activities that your loved one enjoys or once enjoyed. This might include music listening, painting, puzzles, golfing, etc. We understand these activities may not look the same as they previously had but creating a connection to those great times will help to keep your loved one happy.

Research indicates movement is especially helpful to those living with Alzheimer’s disease. If you can’t make a regular walk or supervised exercise a part of the day, find someone or an organization that can. As the disease progresses a sedentary lifestyle will take over, but that does not mean during the initial or early stages one must be bed or chair bound.

Various support in our area include:

• Life Enrichment with Golden Care
• Exercise with LiveWell Health
• Various Well-Being Tactics with Inner Strength
• Patient Support with the Alzheimer’s Support Network

Caregiver Support

Support for a family caregiver may be just as important as support for your loved one. As a family caregiver you might feel it is your sole responsibility to provide 110% of your energy to your loved one each day. Unfortunately, at some point you are going to break. Providing to your loved one every second of the day is going to lead yourself down a path of poor health, thus diminishing the care you provide your loved one. Support for family caregivers is unique in what a family may be searching for.

Various support for family caregivers in our area include:

• Support Groups with the Alzheimer’s Support Network
• Support Groups with the Alzheimer’s Association
• Research from the National Institute on Aging
• Respite Care with Local Home Care Agencies

A Move to Memory Care

Many consider a loved one’s move to memory care as the final option in the care process. A move to a memory care community is necessary when a loved one can no longer provide safe or adequate care to the individual living with Alzheimer’s disease. A move to memory care does not mean it is the end, it may very well be a decision that allows your loved one to live a greater quality of life.