How to Support Alzheimer’s Family Caregivers

Caregivers play a vital role in our lives, especially for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases, Alzheimer’s is a crippling disease affecting older adults along with their families and caregivers. As the disease progresses, each day becomes more challenging than the last, and caregivers must watch their loved ones struggle. For family caregivers, this can be especially heartbreaking. Whether you’re an Alzheimer’s caregiver or looking to support caregivers you know, we’ve compiled recommendations to provide guidance and comfort to those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.

Challenges of Being an Alzheimer’s Caregiver for a Loved One

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be an incredibly emotional and overwhelming journey. Family caregivers often find themselves grappling with feelings of uncertainty, never knowing what to expect from one day to the next.

One of the most common and distressing challenges caregivers face is dealing with the behavioral changes that accompany memory loss. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect memory; it can change a person’s personality. Mood swings are not uncommon, and as Alzheimer’s progresses, behaviors may become combative at times. These changes can be especially challenging to navigate, and it’s important to remember that these behaviors are often a direct result of the disease and not a personal attack on you as the caregiver.

The Many Roles of a Caregiver

Being a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s involves juggling a wide range of responsibilities, each with its own set of challenges. Caregivers often serve in multiple roles, such as:

• Emotional Support: Providing comfort, patience, and understanding as your loved one navigates their own confusion and fear.
• Healthcare Advocate: Managing doctor’s appointments, understanding medical advice, administering medications, and ensuring overall well-being.
• Daily Living Assistance: Helping with personal hygiene, meal preparation, and other activities of daily living that your loved one may struggle with as the disease progresses.
• Safety Monitor: Keeping an eye on wandering behaviors, preventing falls, and ensuring a safe home setting, especially during periods like sundowning when agitation or confusion might increase.
• Financial and Legal Organizer: Handling bills, balancing financial responsibilities, and ensuring that legal documents such as power of attorney and living wills are in place.
• Family Coordinator: Balancing relationships with other family members, managing differing opinions, and trying to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding care decisions.

Over time, the physical and emotional toll can lead to feelings of isolation, frustration, and even guilt, especially when caregivers feel they aren’t doing enough or worry about making the right decisions.

The Risk of Caregiver Burnout

The constant demands of caregiving often lead to family caregiver burnout. Burnout doesn’t happen all at once – it’s a gradual process where the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion of caregiving takes over, leaving you feeling depleted and isolated.

Signs of burnout can include chronic fatigue, irritability, feelings of helplessness, and a sense of losing your own identity. Many caregivers feel guilty for taking time for themselves, fearing that they’re abandoning their loved one or that their loved one’s condition might worsen in their absence. However, without moments of respite, the risk of burnout increases, which can make it even harder to provide the care your loved one needs. That’s where the support of friends and loved ones can truly make a difference.

3 Ways You Can Support an Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver

Providing caregivers with additional support can make a tremendous difference in their lives. Here is a list of simple but effective ways you can show these hard-working, compassionate people how much you care.

Check-In

Start by checking in. Give them a call, send them a text message, or even stop by their home. Offer a listening ear and provide comfort. Being a caregiver can be a lonely experience; just knowing someone sees you and is there for you can mean the world.

Lend a Helping Hand

An excellent way to show your support for a caregiver is by lending a hand. Bring over dinner, offer to sort the mail, or even offer to briefly take over caregiver duties so they can have a break. Pick up prescriptions, run an errand or two, and ask if there are other items on the to-do list you could complete. If you have friends or family members willing, come up with a rotating schedule of visits or meal deliveries. Often, family caregivers won’t ask for help – even from their own family, so being creative and thoughtful can go a long way.

Respite Care

Being a caregiver can be as stressful as it is rewarding. Thankfully, there are many ways to reduce stress – and it starts with caregivers taking time for themselves.

Reserving a respite stay at a senior living community is a great way to provide help for family caregivers, as it gives them an opportunity to step away from the demands of their day-to-day life. These short stays typically range from two weeks to one month, and they offer all of the benefits of a senior living community’s memory care lifestyle. Learning more about and researching respite care options is another thoughtful way you can support family caregivers.

Share Resources for Supporting Caregivers and Preventing Burnout

One of the most meaningful ways you can help a caregiver is by encouraging them to take advantage of resources designed to support them and prevent burnout. Many caregivers hesitate to seek help or may not know where to start, so offering assistance in finding these resources can make a big difference in their well-being. Here are a few ways you can help:

Share Support Groups

Caregivers often feel isolated in their experience, so connecting them to a support group can be incredibly beneficial. Whether in-person or online, these groups provide a space to share experiences, receive advice, and feel understood by others going through similar challenges. You can help by researching local resources through organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association, which offers support group listings and virtual meetings. Encouraging your loved one to join an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group can give them the emotional outlet they need.

Offer Information on Caregiver Education

There are many educational resources designed to help caregivers better understand Alzheimer’s and manage their loved one’s care. You can share information about organizations like the Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center, which provides tips, the latest research, and various tools for caregivers. Helping them access these resources can empower them with knowledge and provide much-needed support.

Assist with Legal and Financial Planning Resources

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s often involves complex legal and financial decisions, which can be overwhelming for caregivers. Offering to research elder law attorneys or financial planners who specialize in caregiving can be a huge relief. These professionals can assist with essential documents like powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare proxies, ensuring that everything is in order while reducing stress for the caregiver.

Encourage Self-care Practices

Caregivers often neglect their own health and well-being because they are so focused on their loved one’s needs. Gently remind them that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential. You can encourage them to take small steps, like going for a walk, practicing mindfulness, or finding moments of quiet to recharge. If possible, offer to help them carve out time for themselves by staying with their loved one or arranging respite care. Let them know that taking care of themselves is critical to continuing to provide the best care possible.

Supporting a caregiver means helping them recognize that they don’t have to do it all alone. By connecting them to these resources and encouraging them to take care of their own well-being, you’re helping them become more resilient and able to care for their loved one with greater compassion and patience.

Talk About Caregiving During National Family Caregivers Month

November is the perfect time to have caregiving conversations. National Family Caregivers Month is dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the caregivers in our lives while also educating all of us about the challenges they face every day.

National Family Caregivers Month was first launched by the Caregiver Action Network (CAN), a non-profit organization that calls attention to the hardships caregivers face and highlights ways to reduce caregiver stress and prevent caregiver burnout.

If you have a friend or family member caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, reach out with a listening ear, a helping hand – or even a hot meal. You’ll be amazed at how a simple, thoughtful gesture like making dinner or bringing over a few groceries can brighten a caregiver’s day.

Memory Care and Respite Care Options at Abbey Delray

Abbey Delray, a rental senior living community in Delray Beach, Florida, is proud to offer memory care, as well as short-stay memory care through a respite care program. Abbey Delray’s memory care offering features brand-new, beautiful apartment homes, as well as a specialized daily activities program led by memory care experts. To learn more about short stay and residency options at Abbey Delray, including available apartment homes, we invite you to contact our team.