Hackman, 95, may have been one of the most famous film stars of the twentieth centurybut their circumstances point to a common problem, according to experts in Dementia and family care. As Hackman, about seven million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, A type of dementia, and his relatives, like his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, often help to take care of them as their condition progresses.
Laura N. Gitlin, scientist of the behavior of the University of Drexel who investigates ways to support caregivers, said that when a patient is diagnosed with dementia, her loved ones rarely receive all the information they need.
“No one really explains the family how the course of the disease can be, how to prepare,” he said. “No one is pending of the caregiver.”
Knowing how to prepare for this situation can help improve the quality of life not only of patients, as they adapt to life with the disease, but also of those who are dedicated to meet their needs. Next, we present five tips that you must take into account if you become caregiver of a loved one with dementia.
Caregivers must maintain a social life
People with dementia may feel uncomfortable or anxious to faces that do not recognize, And stigma can lead some families to retire from social life. But becoming imprint can make the disease worse, said Helen Kales, geriatric psychiatrist at the University of California, Davis Campus. Isolation can accelerate cognitive deterioration and even exposes caregivers to an increased risk of developing themselves.
For that reason, Kales recommends that patients and their loved ones continue to attend social events and test new things. A couple with whom he worked began to practice Square Dance When one of the members was in the early phases of dementia.
“If there is a kind of fresh eyes for a situation and a break, that benefits everyone,” he said.
Organize a team of caregivers
Many main caregivers feel reluctant to impose responsibilities, and other family and friends may not know how to help, Gitlin said. To solve it, it suggests organizing a meeting and assigning papers. For example, a brother could plan to call every morning or every night to ask how the situation is. If the relative with dementia does not answer, it could request a well -being control.
Nancy Goode, Executive Director of Margaret Jo Hogg Alzheimer’s Outreach Center in Albany, Georgia, who offers adult care services and support for caregivers, said she tells caregivers that they have at least five people you can call to ask for help in an emergency or to help regularly. It could be a friend who agrees to visit every Wednesday for a few hours so that the caretaker can do proceedings.
Read more: what characteristics should a caretaker of older adults have
Find the help of an expert To take care of a patient with dementia
When a relative is diagnosed with dementia, it is difficult to foresee how the patient’s needs will change as the disease progresses, Gitlin said. That is why he recommends caretakers to meet with an expert, such as a geriatric social worker or a geriatric nurse, who can evaluate patient’s home safety and how much support he will need.
This type of advice does not come with the diagnosis, he said, so families have to look for and pay it.
“It seems simple,” he said, “but no one is given the knowledge and skills that are needed.”
Consider using technology that can help watch your loved one
Domestic cameras and movement sensors can help relatives who live far to control relatives with dementia. For example, a device can be placed in the refrigerator or fridge that sounds an alarm if the door does not open for some time; Another can carry patients and send an alert if they fall. Gitlin said that it is important to discuss the problems of privacy and safety of the data when considering these types of tools, which are increasingly advanced and more available.
“We do not want all this to be bells and whistles,” Kales said, “but I think we want to use technology as a complement to help people on their way.”
Take care of you
The demands of attending to a person with dementia can consume so much that many caregivers neglect their own health, said Goode.
“They are exhausted,” he said. “They are totally exhausted.”
Goode said caregivers usually assume all the responsibilities of helping their patients, and encourages them to ask for help to devote time to their own medical appointments, rest and well -being.
“If you’re not healthy,” said Goode, “you can’t take care of them.”