Information for Alzheimer's Caregivers

A reader recounts her journey along side of her mother who had Alzheimer's disease. Here's the first part of her interview where she shares some memories about her mother and also talks about her symptoms and diagnosis.

An interview with a reader sheds light on coping with the effects of Alzheimer's disease, and what she found to be supportive during this journey. She also mentions her experience with a medication used to treat her mother's Alzheimer's.

A daughter shares her struggle with choosing to place her mother in a nursing home as her Alzheimer's progressed. She has chosen to tell others her story so that you will know you are not alone as you cope with the effects of Alzheimer's.

Are you concerned about how to transition your family member with Alzheimer's to a nursing home? Here are 5 suggestions to facilitate a positive adjustment.

Restlessness and wandering are frequent behaviors in Alzheimer's. Often, however, there are specific reasons why people attempt to wander, as well as environmental strategies you can use to discourage elopement. Identifying the triggers that cause wandering can help minimize this behavior for your loved one.

Is your family member or friend with dementia getting more restless and trying to wander away from home? Your goal is to keep him safe and calm him down, but how do you do that? Here are 5 strategies to remember as you respond to his attempts to leave.

If your loved one is confused and has wandered away, use these 11 tips to search for her.

Changing the caregiver's approach to challenging behavior in Alzheimer's disease can improve coping and quality of life for both those with Alzheimer's and their loved ones. Rather than first resorting to medication to handle agitation or aggression in Alzheimer's, try these eight practical tips.

Stress can be a major contributor to problems with attention, memory, and concentration, and a whole host of chemical and hormonal changes are involved in this connection.

This article addresses driving safety in Alzheimer's disease, including warning signs that a person should stop driving.

This article describes the difficult situation of coping with the grief of a loved one's Alzheimer's diagnosis.

A survey by UnitedHealthcare and the National Alliance for Caregiving indicates that caregivers have been severely affected by the economic downturn from April 2008 - April 2009.

AARP recently released a comprehensive report on the economic value of caregiving. I found it so interesting that I wanted to share some of its highlights with you.

Are you at a loss when people ask for gift ideas for you and your care recipient? Make it easy for people with these simple guidelines.

While people with Alzheimer's disease often enjoy the holiday season, those with early-stage Alzheimer's might feel a special sense of loss during this time, and those in the middle or later stages could become confused and overwhelmed by the influx of people and boisterous celebrations. Here are three ways to help your loved one enjoy the holiday season.

Through narrative and pictures, family caregiver Don Franklin describes his journey as a caregiver for his wife, Rita, who died of Alzheimer's disease on August 2, 2008.

If you're a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, it's natural to be concerned about the current financial crisis. You're not alone in wondering how you'll continue to be able to afford Alzheimer's care and handle other regular expenses. Find out how to keep your cool during difficult financial times.

Who are today's caregivers? At the 2008 Rocky Mountain Geriatrics Conference, Richard Schulz, Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shared important facts about today's family caregivers.

Are Alzheimer's caregivers different from other kinds of caregivers? At the 2008 Rocky Mountain Geriatrics Conference, Richard Schulz, Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine discussed how Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia affect caregivers in unique ways.

Family caregivers go through several caregiver transitions as loved ones become more ill. At the 2008 Rocky Mountain Geriatrics Conference, Richard Schulz, Ph.D. described the most common caregiver transitions, including which one is the most difficult for family caregivers.

The emotional and physical demands of caregiving make it hard to be a caregiver 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Without respite -- a temporary break from the demands of caregiving -- you may be more susceptible to the effects of caregiver stress. Learn why you need respite and where to find respite care for your loved one.

Many caregivers state that the hardest part of caregiving is not the practical side -- instead, it's the grief and loss that they feel, even while their loved ones are still alive. Learn how to work through grief and loss while you care for someone with Alzheimer's.

The key to effective caregiving is understanding the relationship between the brain and behavior. Once we understand this relationship, we can approach caregiving with compassion and courage. Consider these 10 tips your credo for being an Alzheimer's caregiver.

When a grandparent or other loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, it can be the children of the family who are most affected. Try these tips and strategies when talking to children about Alzheimer's disease.

Making decisions about Alzheimer's care can be difficult -- especially when several people are involved. Families caring for someone with the disease can reduce conflict and stress by making decisions about Alzheimer's care for their loved one together shortly after the diagnosis.

Participating in activities with your loved one is good for both of you, both physically and emotionally. It helps you continue to share enjoyable experiences together, and it can reduce the frequency of difficult behaviors such as agitation and wandering.

Because Alzheimer's affects the brain in multiple ways, a variety of eating problems can result, creating challenges for both you and the person you're providing with care. The key to making mealtimes easier is to understand how Alzheimer's affects eating behaviors and to approach mealtimes with patience, planning, and flexibility.

Traveling can be challenging when your loved one has Alzheimer's. To make the trip go more smoothly, pack this toolkit and keep it with you, whether you travel by plane, train, or motor vehicle.

This online handbook was created in conjunction with the PBS program, "Caring for Your Parents." It includes topics such as how to talk to parents about their increasing needs, how to find and access services, and the importance of caring for the caregiver.

Denise Brown started her own free internet talk show on BlogTalkRadio called Your Caregiving Journey. Each week she focuses on a different caregiving topic; listeners can participate during the shows or tune in later and listen to archives.

This free online training video was created to help family caregivers find and access community resources, develop realistic expectations for oneself and loved ones, and provide quality Alzheimer's care as well as caregiver self-care.

The National Family Caregivers Association provides four messages to inspire caregivers to take care of themselves and ask for the help they need.

Are you caring for a loved one who lives far away? Take a look at So Far Away: Twenty Questions for Long-Distance Caregivers, a publication by the National Institute on Aging that provides helpful guidelines for those providing care across the miles.

A service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, this database of clinical studies -- including studies about Alzheimer's causes and treatments -- is searchable by disease and geographic location.

Helping your loved one with eating and nutrition are extremely important, both in terms of maintaining good heath and avoiding agitation and other difficult behaviors. Practical strategies for helping a person with Alzheimer's eat and enjoy meals will be provided.

Helping your loved one with dressing is an important way to preserve dignity and feelings of being respected. Due to both memory loss and apraxia, choosing and putting on clothing can be difficult for a person with Alzheimer's disease. Strategies and tips will be presented to help your loved one maintain her appearance and maximize her self-esteem.

Helping your loved one with grooming is an important way to maximize self-esteem and quality of life. Due to both memory loss and apraxia, abilities often taken for granted such as combing hair and brushing teeth may be lost. Strategies and tips will be presented to ensure that grooming as a pleasurable activity is maintained in Alzheimer's disease as long as possible.

Helping your loved one with bathing is arguably the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer's caregiving. Not only does it require skill and...

Helping your loved one with bathing is arguably the most challenging aspect of Alzheimer's caregiving. Not only does it require skill and sensitivity, but it also is commonly associated with fear, anxiety, agitation and even aggression. These strategies and tips may help you and your loved one ensure the bathing process goes smoothly.

Helping your loved one with dressing is an important way to preserve dignity and feelings of being respected. Due to both memory loss and apraxia, choosing and putting on clothing can be difficult for a person with Alzheimer's disease.

Activities such as combing hair, shaving, and applying makeup can easily be taken for granted when you are healthy, but when they are impacted from either memory loss or apraxia, they can become more challenging than you would ever imagine.

Not only should eating be a pleasurable experience for your loved one with Alzheimer's disease, it should also be an opportunity to reminisce, to enjoy each other's company, and to relish in your loved one's enjoyment of a good meal. People with late-stage Alzheimer's disease are at particular risk for malnutrition.

Helping your loved one with their medications is one of the more important aspects of Alzheimer's caregiving. While proper, prudent use of medications may help your loved one's quality of life and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and medical problems, they can have the opposite effects when used improperly or unsafely. These strategies and...

Helping your loved one with Alzheimer's to bathe, dress, eat, groom, and take medications safely are tasks that make up the core of being an Alzheimer's caregiver. These five pieces all describe strategies and tips to help ease the burden on you and your loved one during these critical activities of daily living. Whether it's deciding to do a...