Question: My wife has Alzheimer's. What services are available to help me care for her?
Answer: As a caregiver, several kinds of services are available to you. It's important to find out what services exist in your community before you need them. This way, when you feel that you need outside help, you'll already have program information and contact numbers at your fingertips. Don't wait until you're experiencing caregiver burnout. Some of the services that may be available in your neighborhood include:
- Adult Day Care
Provides your loved one with supervision and social interaction outside of the home for anywhere from a few hours to a whole day. Adult day care doesn't usually offer overnight care. Many adult day care centers provide personal care, such as assistance with taking medications, going to the bathroom, and eating. Meals and/or snacks are often included. - In-home Respite Care
Provides you with a break while providing supervision and social interaction to your relative. Some respite providers aren't licensed to provide personal care such as bathroom assistance, but they can visit with your loved one and prepare simple meals. These types of providers are appropriate during the early stages of Alzheimer’s or a related dementia; however, if the disease has progressed to the point that help with personal care is necessary, be sure to find out whether the respite care provider can perform these services, too. - Home Health Care
This is useful when your loved one requires medical care such as injections, frequent blood pressure checks, or other procedures that you can't provide yourself, and that in-home respite providers aren't licensed to perform. - Government Programs
Several government programs may be available to you. For example, Meals-On-Wheels provides home-delivered meals to older adults in need, and the National Family Caregiver Support Program provides information, training, case management, respite care, and other supportive services to caregivers.
The best way to find out about local services is to contact your local Area Agency on Aging. Agencies on Aging are listed in the phone book as well as at www.eldercare.gov, a website maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sources:
Community care options. Family Caregiver Alliance. June 2002. http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1992
Mace, N. L., & Rabins, P. V. 2006 The 36-hour day: A family guide to caring for persons with Alzheimer's disease, related dementing illnesses, and memory loss in later life. New York: Warner Books.
Respite care guide: Finding what's best for you. Alzheimer's Association. 2007. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_respitecareguide.pdf
