Family and professional caregivers, it’s back to Square One for a refresher…
What is the first tip for caregivers?
Learn as much as you can about your loved one’s disease or illness so that you know what to expect.
If you don’t know what to expect while caring for your or another’s loved one, you’ll be driving blind. Can you imagine getting in your car in a busy parking lot and driving with your eyes closed?
How far will you get, safely?
It’s the same with caregiving.
How far will you get as a caregiver if you aren’t familiar with the road ahead?
You won’t even make it out of the parking lot!
Learn as much as you can
about your loved one’s disease or illness
so you know what to expect.
Read as much as you can. Ask questions of other caregivers and professionals. Participate in support groups in person or online. Attend community-sponsored education gatherings.
I decided to write more about this tip after mentioning it on Twitter at #HAChat on . Since then it’s been retweeted and favorited a number of times:
In fact, the first KEY Caregiver TIP is: Know as much as you can about your loved one’s disease or illness to know what to expect.
AND a BONUS: Short answers to three Caregiver questions regarding dementia:
- How long will it last?
As little as a year and a half to as many as twenty-five. - It is Alzheimer’s or something else, like vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, or??
Make an appointment with a geriatric physician who specializes in diseases of the elderly–even if you suspect dementia in a younger person. - What is SunDowning?
The antsy behavior that starts late in the afternoon as the sun sets and your loved one starts wandering or grows agitated in other ways.
For more information on these and related questions search these terms: caregiving, caregiver, Caregiver TIPS, dementia, Alzheimer, wandering
PHEW!
I should have invited you to write a whole article, Don! 😉
Thank YOU for sharing your first-hand experiences caring for your beloved Marie who lived with Lewy body dementia with our visitors.
I took an editorial liberty of reformatting your comment which appeared as ONE paragraph in plain text. Hope it represents your intent, Don.
Brenda, what a great article!
This is the most important information a caregiver could have. Learn ALL you can so you may know what to expect.
Important in the process you remember that your loved one is one of many millions and that everyone is different.
People that experience exposure to Lewy Body dementia please, not only read, find a Doctor that knows about it. Many will say they do but they really don’t. The first clue is if a doctor or medical professional says “It’s just like any dementia” NO IT IS NOT. It is completely different.
Driving your car blind is a good example of what will happen if you do not know about the disease that you are dealing with.
For 10 years I read about Parkinson’s and then 6 years on Lewy Body Dementdia.I had one doctor out of a dozen they knew about Lewy Body Dementia. He really did not know that much. As I said, everyone is different.
Monitor medications as they can cause a lot of damage with LBD.
Next important item is do not think you can do it on your own.
I did and found out quickly with LBD that I needed help. Being thick headed, I did not seek help until after 2 years with Lewy. Although my loved one was very mild compared to some stories I have heard, the first two years were mainly hallucination and occasional UTI problems.
After the 2 years I did seek help and was glad I did. You do need a break!
So, First educate yourself, next accept the fact you may be the strongest person in life but, you have no control here and you will need a break.
Sundowning can drive you nuts!
It can be they want to go home. Remember they have no idea what is going on.
In my case a ride around the neighborhood usually (Key word) handled the problem. My late wife at least 2-3 times a week wanted to talk to her mother, father, grandmother or grandfather who had passed years ago. go along with it. Do not say they are gone but rather just you will try. They usually forget.
Remember you are not in control and most important, it’s the disease talking not the one you love.
As a former caregiver for my wife of 50 years, remember, you may think you know your loved one but the diseases can cause them to appear to be someone else.
Read the Bonus statements above. They are VERY important. Read Read Read. Learn as much as you can because you will soon know more then our doctor’s. Stay out of Emergency Rooms if at all possible. They tend to advance dementia.
Good Luck everyone.