Caring for an Alzheimer’s Disease Patient
A very important part of Alzheimer’s treatment is the care they get. This care can be provided through a multitude of ways, from family caregivers to nurses provided by hospitals. Living with dementia and Alzheimer’s is very hard, so patients need a lot of support.
Every day for patients is a struggle. Though their experiences are vastly different, many if not all patients experience severe loss. “I don’t feel like part of the world”, one woman quoted. Another man said that he wakes up and is always scared for what will happen that day. He said that his brain is always telling him that something went wrong or that he did something wrong.
The link to the full video is right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loksPQ7Q8tM
Life is extremely hard for patients, so care is a significant, and important, part of Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment. Because these cognitive diseases take away their ability to speak, move, or function on their own, caregivers are there to improve the quality of life for patients, all the while assisting them with daily tasks. In addition, the experience with the disease differs with each parent. So as a result, the caregiver must be able to adapt to their patient to give them the best care possible.
There are many challenges for caregivers, due to the enormous toll their job has on them. Many caregivers are depressed and have physical health issues, in addition to the caregiver burden. Caregiver burden is the amount of stress put on a caregiver. This is an important factor to consider when becoming a caregiver because if the burden is too much, it can lead to a bad environment for the patient, which could potentially worsen their condition.
One organization that helps with caregiving is the Alzheimer’s Association. It was founded in 1980 by Jerome H. Stone and is the “lead voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research”. They give advice and outlets to/for many caregivers.
To explore more about Alzheimer’s treatments, my next post will be about previously developed Alzheimer’s drugs.