Managing Alzheimer’s — Caregiver Fatigue
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. It is a degenerative disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. As Alzheimer’s progresses, the individual will lose the ability to care for oneself. The disease presents itself in many different ways that coincide with the common experience, “what did I come in here for…?” which makes it difficult to diagnose early on. The degradation begins slowly and can occur early on, sometimes beginning during an individual's 30s. People may forget common dates, like anniversaries or birthdays. They may forget to pay recurring bills or forget what season they’re in while getting dressed. These early occurrences won’t stand out to the patient’s partner or family given how busy our lives are during our 30s and 40s. By the time the patient is experiencing life-altering conditions of the disease, their family has likely been caring for them long before they’ve realized it.
How Does Alzheimer’s Affect Families & Loved Ones?
Oftentimes life will push us into roles before we feel we’re ready for them, or without our knowledge. Having obligations imposed on you that disrupt your normal flow introduces stress in several variations; the mental stress caused by balancing more than one schedule and compiling doctor’s appointments, the physical stress caused by lifting and assisting others to complete tasks, and the emotional stress driven by guilt, pressure, performance standards, and forced expectations. It’s an absolute overhaul of your life to postpone your dreams or desires to step in and assist a loved one who is affected by this disease.
Caregiver Fatigue
Caring for a loved one to this extent, and knowing that it will only become more taxing, can lead to caregiver fatigue. Oftentimes caregivers have reached a place in life that has allotted them more freedom. Maybe their children have grown and are more independent. Maybe they’re at a place in their career where they can reduce their hours and workload to explore life more in line with their desires. They may become overwhelmed with their current obligations and the idea of taking on one more seems impossible. Despite the circumstances, the caregiver’s choice to show up and assist is the greatest asset a patient with Alzheimer’s can have. Here we will outline some of the driving forces that lead to caregiver fatigue to help us identify it, share some practices to help caregivers manage it, and discuss programs to support caregivers’ mental health and life balance.
Recognizing Caregiver Fatigue
As responsibilities compile for caregivers and the stress of the condition deepens, caregivers may feel guilty for taking time for themselves. These intense feelings could lead to anxiety or depression. Identifying the aspects of both anxiety and depression will lead to early detection and aid in managing the condition. Caregivers may withdraw from social activities, friends, and/or other family members. They may become overwhelmed by their tasks and forget to care for themselves, making their hygiene and health a tertiary priority, or dismissed altogether. A change in sleep patterns, eating patterns, and thinking patterns are tell-tale signs of mental distress. Mild, but notable, symptoms include headaches and upset stomachs. If these symptoms can be identified early on, it may lessen the severity of the impact caregiving can have on a person.
The Importance of Self-Care
When it comes to self-care, we often think of manicures or staycations – how we spend our downtime to help us manage our actual lives, but self-care is tackling those items we need to do to ensure we can manage and enjoy our lives to our fullest potential. One of the most challenging things we can do for ourselves is to reach out to a friend, family member, or therapist that we trust to confide in. Open and judgment-free communication can offload the stress and guilt that can sometimes come with caregiving. Taking 15 minutes for meditation or exercise can reduce stress levels and improve mental clarity. A massage membership may provide a mental break while allowing you to build the appointment into your month’s schedule, allowing you to prioritize yourself and stay organized.
Seeking Additional Assistance
Understanding that Alzheimer’s could eventually become unmanageable for a caregiver to tackle on their own every day can be overwhelming to accept. There may be some local programs within your community, such as group living programs, or working with occupational, physical, or speech therapists who provide care in the natural environment that can help the patient stay active and involved while improving their social life. There may be an array of programs available through their health insurance policy and may be worth the call to customer service to learn more. Some insurance programs, like Medicare, will often cover Respite care. Programs like this allow the patient to visit a facility or hospital for a brief time, giving the caregiver scheduled breaks in their week to prioritize their own needs whilst providing peace of mind that the patient is in good hands.
Support groups or 24/7 support lines are great options for the caregiver, also. Watching a loved one need a little more help with each passing day can begin to weigh you down. Learning how to connect with them as Alzheimer’s disease progresses will not only help the caregiver recognize each stage of the disease but understand the boundaries that change with each stage. Middle-stage Alzheimer’s, where independence begins to rely on assistance, can cause anger and frustration for both the patient and caregiver. Meeting the individual where they are will help both parties balance the imposing demands the disease brings. Making a daily task list or keeping duplicates of items in the house can help keep everyone organized and more at ease. In late-stage Alzheimer’s, communication may be the biggest challenge. Connecting through other senses, such as listening to their favorite song or rubbing their favorite lotion on their hands, can bring a sense of closeness to both the patient and caregiver.
No one can prepare you for the coming stages of Alzheimer’s, but there is support available. Tilton’s Therapy offers a wide range of therapeutic support services to help guide both the patient and caregiver through the stages and help prevent caregiver fatigue during the process.
Find additional assistance within your community by zip code: https://www.communityresourcefinder.org/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3622716/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9225-caregiver-burnout
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/warning-signs-risk-factors
