Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease is not always easy. In fact, it can be quite frustrating. It is difficult watching those whom you love struggle with the disease. There are times when you may feel as if you are taking on too much while receiving little appreciation in return. Still, there can be many personal rewards associated with caring for a loved one.

For those who have family members with Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to realize that your loved ones might not be able to show you their appreciation on a regular basis. Difficulty in communication and memory can make it next to impossible for some to express just how grateful they are for everything that you do for them.

Rewards may sometimes be small and few between. However, rewards might be as simple as a small smile from your loved one that lets you know he or she is thankful. There might even be the rare day when the person is able to thank you in words. These are the days when you know you are giving a great gift of yourself to someone whom you love.

Oftentimes, adult children find themselves caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. Your parents likely have been there for you when you needed help. As a child, they took care of you when you were sick. They protected you and worked hard to keep you safe. Life has now come round full circle, as you have the opportunity to do the same for your parent with Alzheimer’s disease. It can be rewarding knowing that you are able to help someone who has done so much to help you throughout the years.

The rewards of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease usually are not tangible, but they are valuable nonetheless. Knowing that you are providing a better quality of life for your family member should be rewarding in itself. People do not want to feel forgotten when they become ill. Most individuals hope not to find themselves living in a long-term care facility. Therefore, you should feel good about yourself knowing that the hard work and dedication you are providing to your loved one will allow that person to remain at home. Although your loved one might not always be able to show his or her appreciation, rest assured that you are appreciated.

Perhaps you have children of your own. It might not be easy for them if you are helping to care for a family member suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Yet it can be rewarding knowing that you are setting a good example for your children. You are showing them the importance of sticking together as a family even when things are difficult. You are helping your children to become better and stronger people as result.

Kids, too, can feel rewarded as they help with Grandma or Grandpa. Even very young children can do little things to help. Sometimes it might be as simple as keeping a grandparent company. Children often want to help out and be a part of what is happening around them. Your children will have ample opportunity to do so if you are caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.

Living with or caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease never is easy. It is common for the caregiver to feel as if he or she is not doing enough. It can be frustrating when a loved one doesn’t recognize who you are or seem to understand all that you are doing to help. But caring for your loved one can be rewarding because you know in your heart that you are making a difference in the life of someone whom you love.

There are a variety of options for Alzheimer’s patients who need caregivers. Sadly, there are those individuals with Alzheimer’s who must live in long-term care facilities because there are not enough family members to care for their needs. Another factor influencing whether or not an individual must go to a nursing home includes finances. Some families are not able to afford to pay for in-home care services.

Fortunately, many people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease are able to remain at home or in the home of a family member for some time. Many families do all they can to avoid seeing their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease living in a nursing home. Some individuals and their family members are able to afford to pay for home health services. In such cases, private duty nurses and home health aides are able to work with patients in their homes.

However, selecting a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is not always an easy task. It is important to review carefully a person’s qualifications as well as his or her experience working with the elderly, particularly those with dementia. It is ideal to find a nurse or personal care aide who has in depth skills and knowledge when working with Alzheimer’s patients.

If you are unable to find a home health aide or nurse who has been well trained to work with a person who is suffering from dementia, it is important to find an individual who is experienced working with the elderly. Be sure to review credentials and references before hiring anyone to work with your loved one.

You can talk with your loved one’s physician when seeking guidance and advice on selecting a caregiver. It also is a good idea to talk to the local Area Agency on Aging for more advice. There are many resources out there to help you locate, interview and hire a caregiver for your family member. The decision as to whom you should hire is not one that should be entered into lightly.

Many times family members become the primary caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s. This often is true for adults who have a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. There are cases in which a spouse is in good health and able to care for a husband or wife without additional help, sometimes for an extended period of time. The adult children of a parent with Alzheimer’s disease frequently need to invite their parent to move into their homes with them.

These moves involve adjustments for everyone. You can make the transition as easy as possible by doing all that you can to ensure that your loved one is able to maintain his or her dignity and as much independence as can be safely given. These changes will not be easy for the spouses and children of the adult son or daughter who is taking care of an ill parent. Talk with your family to make plans to work as a team for the best interests of the person with Alzheimer’s as well as for the entire family.

Do not take on all the responsibilities yourself. If you have siblings, do not be afraid to ask for their help. Your parent might live with you full time but this does not mean that your sisters or brothers cannot help. They might be able to spend some time with your parent in the evenings or on the weekend. Tell your family upfront that you will need some help and explain that you cannot do everything on your own.

Finding a caregiver can be challenging, but is not impossible. Taking the time to make plans and to find the best solutions for the entire family will make the process much easier.

No one said it was going to be easy. Yet, you likely did not expect it to be quite this difficult. Caregivers often focus so much of their time and energies taking care of the family member with Alzheimer’s that they forget they must continue to take care of themselves, too.

It does not take long before you begin to feel overwhelmed by all the additional responsibilities, which you have taken on. Alzheimer’s does not affect only the person with the disease, but the disease takes its toll on the entire family. Not only are there multiple physical and emotional demands on the caregiver and his or her own family, eventually, as the disease progresses, the financial costs related to the disease begin to add even more pressures.

Most primary caregivers to Alzheimer’s patients suffer from a considerable lack of sleep. However, research shows that lack of adequate sleep can be a major cause of stress and a number of common health ailments. Caring for someone other than you requires energy. If you don’t sleep, you are not restoring that energy, which you need so desperately. And like a car battery drained of its energy supply, you won’t have any spark either. It may not be long before you find yourself feeling not only exhausted, but angry and frustrated as well. That will not help you, your loved one with Alzheimer’s or your own spouse and children.

Second to getting sufficient rest and eating a well-balanced diet to stay healthy, don’t be afraid to cry. There are a lot of additional demands on you these days, enough to make anyone feel more than a bit irritable at times. However, it is important to remain positive for everyone’s well-being. But in order to do so, you may have to set limits, and say ‘no’ sometimes.

The trick is not to allow yourself to feel guilty. Caregivers often become so wrapped up in their responsibilities; they begin to withdraw from family, friends, and social activities. This is one of the worst things that you can do for yourself or your loved one. Now, more than ever, you need the comfort and support offered by others to help keep you going, as the going gets tougher. And it will!

However, you can survive it all by accepting that one day you will lose your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. But don’t focus on your family member’s decline. Instead, make the most of the moments, which you share now. Give that person the best of what you can give while you still have him/her.

Don’t have any regrets. Keep things in perspective and know that you loved your family member and provided that person with the support and safety he or she needed at the time. Take a few moments by yourself when things get really rough and cry if you have to. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Crying can be a great tension reliever.

Most important, know that you are not alone. Reports show that at least 20% of caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients are family members, whether we are spouses, children, or in some cases, even grandchildren. In the meantime, both caregiver and Alzheimer’s sufferer must try to remain as physically, emotionally, and socially active as possible throughout the course of the disease.

Finding out that a loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s disease can be devastating. By learning more about the disease affecting your family member or friend, you can be better prepared to help. Fortunately, there are many resources that can aid you in your search for information.

An organization offering a good deal of research and information is the Alzheimer’s Association. The association is dedicated to helping people with Alzheimer’s, as well as their family members. The Alzheimer’s Association offers local chapters where individuals can find needed support. A 24-hour help line is provided. To learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association, visit www.alz.org.

The website offers a diversity of resources for anyone who wants to learn more about this disease. There are a variety of other websites offering information about symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and how to speak with your loved one’s doctor if you suspect that he or she might be suffering from Alzheimer’s or other dementia. Many websites even provide information on how to care for your loved one if he or she suffers from Alzheimer’s.

The local library is another place where people can go to learn more about how to care for a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Most libraries have a collection of books discussing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Health magazines and professional journals are other excellent sources available at almost any local library or college library.

One of the best resources for learning about Alzheimer’s is your loved one’s own physician. The physician will be able to discuss with you the affects of Alzheimer’s disease. A number of health care professionals involved in your loved one’s care will help you to learn what you can expect to experience in regard to your family member’s illness. They will help you to learn what steps you must take in order to care properly for your loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Physicians also can aid you in deciding what living arrangements are best for your family member. If the individual is going to be cared for in a home setting, doctors can tell you what you need to do to help ensure the safety of the Alzheimer’s patient. They can help you to decide in advance what factors could impact your decision to enter your loved one into an assisted living facility. Regrettably, the day might come when you and your family are no longer able to safely care for the person with Alzheimer’s disease at home.

The doctor treating the Alzheimer’s patient often will put you in contact with organizations that can help. You can obtain information from the hospital on how to locate home health nurses and aides to assist with daily activities of living. Social workers at area hospitals can be of further assistance. They generally are able to put you into contact with many human services and community agencies and programs that can help. For example, a social worker may suggest contacting a local Meals on Wheels program so that you can ensure a healthy and safe meal for your loved one. The important thing is not to be afraid to ask for help. It helps to know that there really is help available to you and your family member.