Someone you love and care about just received anAlzheimers diseasediagnosisnow what?
The next steps can be emotional and overwhelming, especially if youre unfamiliar with whatcaring for someone with dementiainvolves.
To provide them with the best possible support, youll need to be proactive, patient, and flexible.
Jordan Moss
Get familiar with how Alzheimers disease progresses.
This is really step number one for a caregiver, Dr. Porter says.
Again, theres a ton of variability in how Alzheimers unfolds.
Assess their support system, and figure out how to grow it.
Everyone, and especially a caregiver, needs a break, Dr. Porter says.
Its important to reach out as early on as possible to let people know you may need their help.
Thats especially critical if loved ones live far away and would need to travel to be present.
Ensure their living space is as safe and easy-to-navigate as possible.
A few of the other safe-home recommendations are more involvedfor instance, installing grab bars in tubs or showers.
(The Alzheimers Association offers thisfull home-safety checklistto cover specifics in each room.)
Consider whether they might benefit from the help of an in-home aide or moving to a care facility.
This way, you could ask: What wouldyouwant me to think about before hiring an aide?
or When wouldyouthink we should consider moving you to a full-time care facility?
The more theyre included in the thought process, the easier the transition will be.
Thoroughly vet all potential care options before choosing one.
Its also worth asking about the staffing ratio of patient to caregiver at a facility, Comer says.
The best is three to one, she says, meaning three patients are assigned to one caregiver.
And keep in mind the services that youknowyour loved one especially needs.
These real-time reviews can lend invaluable insight, helping you choose one way or another.
Assemble their medical team and map out what their ongoing health care will look like.
Track their symptoms and behaviors over time.
All caregivers involved should be on the same page.
Its also important to take note of any abrupt changes.
Alzheimers generally progresses very gradually, Dr. Edgerly says.
Honor their independence as long as you could.
Dont forget the little things that can brighten their day and make them feel more like themselves.
Its similar to how you might tend to yourself, Dr. Edgerly explains.
Evenshehad moments of doubt when she was caring for her own mother.
To be able to say, Hey, Im doing this or that.
Does this sound reasonable?
Thats worth so much, she says.
Equally important is tending to your own needs too.
You have topreserve your mental healthand continue exercising, eating well, and sleeping enough, Comer says.
Providing Alzheimers care is a yearslong road, and you cant do it well without taking care of yourself.
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