Don't Let Caregiving For A Loved One With Alzheimer's Take A Toll — Get Help

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Taking care of your loved one who has Alzheimer's is an all-encompassing and undeniably challenging role to have. It can easily cause stress and lead to feelings of resentment for the caregiver. If you are the primary caregiver for a loved one who has Alzheimer's, it's important that you take care of yourself first, so you can take care of your loved one. Do not take on the duties all by yourself. Hire someone to help you help your loved one. Here's why and how to find the help you both deserve. 

Caregiving Can Take a Toll 

Being the sole caregiver for a loved one who has Alzheimer's while maintaining a semblance of sanity & health can be dangerously close to impossible. Many people who haven't experienced life with an Alzheimer's patient don't understand just how difficult, stressful, and emotionally and physically draining it can be, particularly in the later stages when aggression, wandering, and incontinence are severe. 

Get Some Help So You Can Take a Break 

For your mental and physical health, it's important to regularly take a break from being a caregiver, even if it's just to be able to go grocery shopping alone while you know your loved one is safe and being cared for at home. Hire a home health service to provide you with assistance at home so you can run errands. But, you should also take regular breaks to do something you enjoy and for respite. Alternatively, you can place your loved one in a care center while you run errands or take a break for rest and relaxation. Perhaps you could even do both: hire an in-home health service and utilize a respite care center on a drop-in basis. 

Gain Some Insight from Professional Caregivers

Another reason to hire an in-home health service and/or take your loved one to a respite care facility is to gain insight from the professional caregivers regarding various aspects of behaviors your loved one may have. The professional caregiver may notice or recognize something that your loved one does or doesn't do that they are familiar with in having worked with other people with the same diagnosis. Having someone else who can give you some insight on various aspects of caring for someone with Alzheimer's can help you improve your own caregiving abilities. 

To learn more about Alzheimer's care, contact a memory care facility or an in-home health service in your area.  

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