Taking care of the caregivers, or caregivers taking time for themselves, becomes extremely important during the holiday season.  The task of caregiving often involved more than anyone ever imagined, as related in the AARP magazine article, Caring for the Caregiver, by Sheree Crute.
A cascade of studies in recent years has shown that 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.
Ms. Crute’s article relates caregiver stories, how some found help, what others can do, and the statistics about …read more

It’s all well and good to advise caregivers to take time for themselves as they look after a parent, spouse, or another relative who has Alzheimer’s.  But, as Kristi Gott says, “Who Has the Time or Money?”
Kristi gives some excellent tips for taking care of yourself and seeking solutions.  She relates some of the activities she’s involved in.  Caregiver burnout has become a big problem with more elders requiring care.  The need for more information, classes, and resources for caregivers finally is being recognized.
Every caregiver and patient, every situation is different and resources vary.  So the solutions I found when caring for …read more

So many Alzheimer’s caregivers I speak with have a difficult time finding support or just someone to talk with.  Even though more people are becoming knowldegeable about Alzheimer’s, it’s hard to find encouragement with the day to day care from someone who’s “been there” or is going through it.
I realize how fortunate I was to have my neighbor.  She’d been overseeing the care of her great aunt with Alzheimer’s about the time I became involved in my mom’s care.  We’d chat frequently about what we were encountering, compare notes, laugh about various happenings, talk out the frustrations, and know we weren’t …read more