Enter Your Email for a Special Discount!
It is not easy to deal with a parent with dementia or its most common type, Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 10 million American adults have to cope with the responsibility of caring for a family member suffering from various types of dementia.
When a parent has dementia, the family caregiver often has to help out with ordinary household tasks, provide personal care, and perform other services. It can be the equivalent of a full-time job. Indeed, the Alzheimer’s Association says about 25% of family caregivers devote about 40 hours a week in service of the parent or loved one.
The family caregiver may often be forced to intervene in the personal life of the parent. As symptoms of impairment from dementia worsen, the caregiver may have to make decisions on behalf of the parent. For instance, driving a car may no longer be safe, and the family caregiver may have to take away the car keys despite possible objections from the parent.
Caring for a parent with dementia can be a daunting challenge. Very often, a family member decides to provide the care him- or herself. As the condition worsens, the parent will require progressively more assistance. The toll on the family caregiver’s physical and mental health can be stiff, and there may be adverse consequences on work, finances and his/her own family life.
The American Geriatrics Society says that caregivers should include provisions for getting relief in their program of care. Unless the family caregiver gets enough relief and support, he or she runs a higher risk of illness, anxiety and depression.
There are three basic things to consider in dealing with a parent with dementia.