Caring for loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease can take its heavy toll. Not only are there physical considerations to consider, such as being physically present and reorganising life schedules to maintain supervision, psychological and emotional problems tend to become a huge burden to bear. Prior to diagnosis, it is common for the family members to experience frustration and anger because it seems this person is forgetting “on purpose” or not listening in the first place. As the disease progresses, caregivers’ identities are often forgotten or confused with someone else, which can lead to feelings of hurt and being unappreciated.
It’s important to remember that people with Alzheimer’s disease, no matter how “difficult” they become, are not changing themselves to intentionally become crueller versions of their former selves. Aside from that, it’s very important for caregivers to find therapies for themselves in order to relieve the stress that could eventually lead to depression and exhaustion.
Many alternative therapies have had wonderful results in caring for the caregiver: aromatherapy, chiropractic, massage, reflexology, therapeutic music, yoga. There may be the one method that replaces the stress with healing, or it could be a combination of many therapies. It may take awhile to grow accustomed to such methods; it could be worth exploring the different therapies long before any experience with Alzheimer’s disease so that in times of great stress, finding the right care won’t be an additional stressor.