The Keys to Alzheimer’s Care-Understanding the Patient, Caring for the Caregiver
7/4/09 10:29 PM
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The Keys to Alzheimer’s Care-Understanding the Patient, Caring for the Caregiver By Wendy J. Meyeroff THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
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According to the Alzheimer’s Association, since 1980 the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has more than doubled, to 4.5 million.
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Age is still the key factor in AD’s onset. One in ten individuals over age 65 and nearly half those age 85-plus are affected. Barring an effective treatment, that number is expected to rise as the baby boomers age—to as high as 16 million citizens by the year 2050.
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Alzheimer’s Versus Dementia Alzheimer’s is one of a class of mental health problems called dementia, meaning loss of mental ability. “Some dementias are treatable. Those caused by certain infections can be reversed,” says Judah Ronch, Ph.D., a leading expert in this field and the vice president of wellness and mental health for Erickson Retirement Communities. “In Alzheimer’s, we haven’t been able to find the cause of brain cell destruction, so we can’t cure it. Drugs like Aricept make a modest difference, at best, in most people and they are expensive. Still, they give families hope and we can never tell who a drug might help,” he says. Ronch adds one thing most people don’t realize: Alzheimer’s is ultimately fatal. “The disease itself kills, as the cells die that control basic human functions, like breathing. Usually other things, like pneumonia, cause death first,” he says. The Role of Family Dynamics One obstacle in providing treatment for many people with Alzheimer’s is their families wait too long before seeking help. “Statistics show it’s not unusual for caregivers to wait up to a decade before seeking professional help,” says Ronch. “But families should consider that we can fight some of Alzheimer’s problems, like restlessness and agitation. We can also recommend non-drug interventions. For example, many Alzheimer’s patients get up at night and roam. Gates at heads of staircases and nightlights are two simple instruments that can prevent accidents,” he says. Understanding family dynamics is critical, since they often interfere with treatment development. “One person may insist ‘Mom’s not really sick,’ and refuse to bring her for evaluation. Another person, established as the family leader, insists on controlling everything surrounding Mom or Dad’s care,” he says. A Major ‘Treatment’ Mistake That control can be a major problem when a professional’s trying to evaluate your loved one. “I always interview the family but also—no matter what stage the person with Alzheimer’s is in—it’s important to conduct an interview with the patient and only them. I don’t want any coaching from a family member,” he says. “When the person lives at a community built and managed by Erickson, our professional experts can come to their home and spend time seeing how they function in their own environment. Do they know how to use the phone or where their pots are? Can they find their medicines and distinguish between them?” No matter where your loved one lives, Ronch says a trained professional—e.g., a neurologist, a psychologist, or geriatric nurse—can and should ask questions to ascertain an Alzheimer’s patient’s abilities.
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“It’s a good idea to ask the person to show you how they do something, like unbuttoning their sweater, rather than just asking if they remember how to do it,” says Ronch. Caring for the Caregivers The burden of caregiving still falls mostly on families. The Alzheimer’s Association says more than 7 out of 10 people with Alzheimer’s live at home, where almost 75 percent of their care is provided by family and friends. http://www.freedomyears.com/tabid/78/itemid/78/The-Keys-to-Alzheimers-CareUnderstanding-the-Pat.aspx
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The Keys to Alzheimer’s Care-Understanding the Patient, Caring for the Caregiver
7/4/09 10:29 PM
“I tell people the time for placement in a nursing home must be an individual family decision, but the idea that you must conform to a certain social standard in caring for your loved one may destroy your health and your loved one. Not everyone can cope with bathing their mother. It’s sad but true more often than we like to acknowledge that caregivers start abusing their loved one, verbally and sometimes physically,” says Ronch. Ronch emphasizes it’s critical for caregivers to care for themselves. He recommends a book for family caregivers by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins, M.D., The 36-Hour Day (Johns Hopkins, $10.85). Ultimately Ronch says, “Not everyone is cut out to be a full-time caregiver, but saying ‘Don’t feel guilty’ if you can’t handle the stresses is easier said than done. Try going with your strengths: if you’re an accountant or good with numbers, take over your loved one’s bill payments and find someone else to accompany him or her to the doctor.”
Copyright Erickson Retirement Communities. All rights reserved. Read by more than 6 million people every month, The Erickson Tribune is a popular and trusted resource for individuals looking to live life to the fullest. For additional information on Erickson and our commitment to serving you, please visit www.erickson.com. The information contained in this article is not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor is it intended to be a substitute for consultation with a medical professional.
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