Caregiver’s Corner — Let’s Get Involved

Every year close friends of mine participate in the NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition) Walk that raises funds and awareness for ovarian cancer.  I have had the opportunity to participate for two years.  I did so willingly and felt great about supporting my friend and her family.  Yet, I also felt a little twinge of guilt.

As I walked and visited the vendors, I kept thinking, “I should be doing something for Alzheimer’s disease.”  That’s the disease that crept in and stole my mother from me.  I mean, don’t get me wrong.  Ovarian cancer is a horrible disease and there are many other diseases that deserve our attention, but Alzheimer’s disease has impacted my family and me deeply and personally.  So, that’s why I find it interesting that I don’t support activities that are directly related to battling the monster, Alzheimer’s disease.  The disease that was such a major force in my life.  I haven’t been a caregiver for two and a half years now, but when I hear of a diagnosis or recognize those familiar signs in someone, my stomach gets all knotted up.

Maybe that’s it.  Maybe it’s still too close.  But, emotional or not, it’s time to raise awareness and funds to beat this horrible disease.  The statistics are staggering.  Today, there are 5 million people living (and dying) with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States.  By 2050, that number is projected to reach 16 million.  Something must be done, and quickly.

The Alzheimer’s Association sponsors the Memory Walk. It takes place in cities across America, usually during the early fall.  There are several ways to participate:

* You can start a team or join one.

* You can walk as an individual.

Even if you can’t walk you can still support the Memory walk.

* You can volunteer and help in a number of ways

* You can tell others about the walk and encourage them to participate

* You can encourage and financially support a walker or team that is already established
You can give a general donation

* You can do a virtual walk if there is no walk in your area

With all of these ways to help, I am ashamed that I have not participated in the push to research, fund and ultimately eradicate this horrible disease.

So, join me as I make a conscious effort to get involved in raising awareness and funds for the battle against Alzheimer’s disease.

I’m Loretta Spivey and I approve this message

               

Caregiver’s Corner-Join a Support Group

I know, you don’t have time to breathe, much less find and join a support group. You are so busy providing care, running errands, taking care of the rest of your family and being an all around Saint to do anything except keep your head barely above water with your current responsibilities as you battle Alzheimer’s disease.

But before you count the idea of joining a support group out completely, consider the following excerpted from AARP’s Caring for the Caregiver (click her for entire article):

“Caregivers stand at particular risk for a host of mental and physical illnesses, many of which have roots in stress, exhaustion, and self-neglect—symptoms some medical professionals have begun calling caregiver syndrome.”

“Caregivers appear more likely than noncaregivers to get infectious diseases, plus they are slower to heal from wounds, says Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D., director of the Division of Health Psychology at Ohio State University in Columbus. Kiecolt-Glaser has conducted several caregiver research studies with her husband, immunologist Ronald Glaser, Ph.D.”

“Caregivers also have greatly elevated blood levels of a chemical that is linked to chronic inflammation. And that puts them at increased risk for heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Notably, says Kiecolt-Glaser, those levels are still high three years after caregiving duties end, especially among caregivers over 65. What’s more, the studies found a greatly increased risk for anxiety and depression.”

Exhausted, anxious, and pressed for time, caregivers, she says, “tend to lose their networks and separate from their friends.”

So, you don’t have to take my word for it, Kiecolt-Glaser, is one of many researchers noting that caregivers need support. Not just help with the daily activities of life. Although, that’s a great place to start.

Caregivers need emotional support as well. The good news is that there is help. Here are just a few places you can go for some help.

The Alzheimer’s Association. I can’t say enough good things about this organization. Yes, it’s huge, but its also very personal. They have a 27/7 helpline. They can help with everything from housing options to what to do about wandering. Here’s the number, I encourage you to use it and get connected with a local chapter. 1-800-272-3900. You can also find the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org

I promise you, the support group won’t be comprised of a bunch of people sitting around complaining. Rather, you will find that they are much like you. Tired, struggling and trying to provide the best care possible for their loved ones. You’ll realize that you are not alone and that there are people who understand and can relate to your situation.

Another option is getting on-line support. Blogs like this one are great places to get information, vent and be part of a community. Here are a few other online resources.

www.alztalk.org

WebMD Alzheimer’s support group

ELDR.com has a forum/support network for Alzheimer’s disease

So, friend, I encourage you. Get some support as you do this difficult, but important work.

So, what do YOU think? Are you a part of a formal or informal support network?

               

The Importance of Physical and Mental Activity

When Alzheimer’s disease is first diagnosed (and before) it is important for the one who is affected with the disease and the caregiver to do a few things.  You can see my posts entitled, I have Alzheimer’s What Now? And Diagnosis Alzheimer’s disease, What’s a Caregiver to do?  For complete information on immediate steps to take once the diagnosis has been confirmed.  However, there is one very important thing that I want to stress today, keeping the brain active and engaged.  Don’t just throw in the proverbial towel and say, “Grandpa has Alzheimer’s disease, it’s all over now.”  It is vital that you as a caregiver do all that you can to do ensure that grandpa works his brain as much as is possible and practical.

It is very important to select age and stage appropriate activities.  You don’t want to make your loved one more frustrated.  Rather, you want to provide an environment where your loved one is having fun, “winning” and exercising the brain all at the same time.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it’s important to exercise your brain daily:

Keep your brain active every day:

• Stay curious and involved - commit to lifelong learning
• Read, write, work crossword or other puzzles
• Attend lectures and plays
• Enroll in courses at your local adult education center, community college or other community group
• Play games
• Garden
• Try memory exercises

One thing I really appreciated (in addition to the great staff) about the Caring Connection, the Adult Day Care my mom attended in Connecticut, was the activities, She often came home with the brain games and or  the craft activity for the day.  I recall one in particular.  It was a fill in the blank from movies, books and sayings, from ”back in the day.” Some of them were:

Frankly (blank), I don’t give a (blank)

It was the best of times.  It was (fill in the blanks)

Its raining, it’s pouring the (fill in the blanks)

It was fun and referred to things that she had learned long before the effects of Alzheimer’s diseases started playing havoc with her memories.

Tomorrow, I’ll provide you with examples and resources where you can find puzzles, brain teasers and activities to keep your loved one’s mind engaged.

These activities will not prevent the onset or decline due to Alzheimer’s disease, but they will keep your loved one engaged, remind him of the good ‘ol days AND maybe most of all provide a stimulating activity in which he can log a few successes as he battles the monster, Alzheimer’s disease.