How to deal with Alzheimer’s as a family member

Alzheimer’s disease is a terrifying diagnosis, both for the individual diagnosed and for the friends and family that love them. If you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you may feel a bit lost and alone. How can you be there for them? What does the timeline look like? How will it affect them over time?

The questions are endless and the answers may feel hard to come by, but you can find solace in the fact that you are not alone in this experience. In this article, we’ll help you better understand how to deal with Alzheimer’s disease as a family member caring for a loved one with this condition. Let’s dive in.

How Alzheimer’s Impacts Individuals and Their Families

The Alzheimer’s diagnosis has far-reaching effects on both individuals and their families. It’s not just the affected person alone who feels its impact. Your family will be tested physically, mentally, and financially as the disease progresses.

Physically as you and your loved ones work to meet your loved ones needs together (needs that will likely progress as time goes on).

Emotionally as you and your family navigate what is arguably the most stressful piece of the experience – watching your loved one deteriorate and grieving them, in a lot of ways, while they’re still here.
Financially as out-of-pocket costs for care escalate. It’s estimated that a loved one with a form of dementia can cost your family more than four times more than the average annual out-of-pocket care costs of those without dementia.

How to Deal with Alzheimer’s as a Family Member: A Compassionate Guide

If you’re already feeling the effects of this diagnosis, you’re not alone. In this compassionate guide, we’ll walk you through how to deal with Alzheimer’s as a family member of a loved on struggling with this disease. Let’s dive in.

Educate Yourself About Alzheimer’s Disease

The first, and one of the most impactful things you can do is exactly what you’re doing now – educating yourself on the disease and what you should expect.

Ailment-specific organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association (find them at alz.org), caregiver-specific organizations like the California Caregiver Resource Center (caregivercalifornia.org), and your loved one’s primary care team are great places to start.

These resources offer free guides and education to help you prepare for what’s happening now and what’s to come.

Adjust Your Communication Approach

Next, it’s important to understand a bit of what’s happening within your loved one’s brain. The things they’re experiencing are real to them, even if they aren’t to you. This can be both terrifying and frustrating, which can cause you to act out of impulse or emotion instead of taking a more thoughtful approach.

Consider using a communication approach that prioritizes:

A calm and comfortable atmosphere to help maintain neutral emotions in the event the situation feels stressful or unfamiliar
Clearer shorter sentences (nothing with too much nuance or implied meaning – breaking everything down as simply as possible becomes more important as the disease progresses)
Minimize distractions
Rephrase as needed – if they aren’t understanding a sentence, try not to simply repeat it. Rephrase it instead.
Use nonverbal cues like eye contact, simple hand gestures, and simple facial expressions

Create a Safe and Supportive Environment

The people in the home and their behavior can influence your loved one and their well being. It’s also important to consider the physical environment they’re in so you can make sure it’s safe and supportive. Some ways to prepare the home for a loved one with dementia include:

Better lighting so there aren’t areas cast in shadow or vulnerable to tripping hazards – maximize natural light, supplement with internal light, and illuminate stairs/walkways/hallways that may be hard to see
Reduce excess noise as much as possible
Consider safer flooring – replace curling rugs, smooth out uneven surfaces, and secure wiring/other hazards to the floor
Use contrasting colors to make everything easy to spot and identify
Pay attention to reflective surfaces, as seeing their own reflections can be troubling. Consider covering mirrors and drawing curtains at night so they can’t catch a glimpse of their reflection
Labels and signs can help them get around as needed

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Handle Behavioral and Emotional Changes

Behavioral and emotional changes are to be expected. To effectively keep a handle on them:

Identify the source of the change (is it the disease, a medication, an external stimulus, etc.)
Recognize patterns and triggers (for example, is the behavior tied to loud noises, unfamiliar environments, or changes in routine?).
Consider medical factors – all changes should be addressed with a medical care provider to rule out other problems that may need addressing.
Keep to routines to reduce potentially triggering or uncomfortable situations

Identify Support and Caregiving Services

No matter how far along your loved one is in their Alzheimer’s diagnosis, help is out there for you. You don’t have to do it alone. Instead, consider reaching out to Alzheimer’s-specific organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association (find them at alz.org) or caregiver-specific organizations like the California Caregiver Resource Center (caregivercalifornia.org) for support.

Plan for the Future

Finally, it’s important to acknowledge that there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s. Only support and potential slowing of symptoms. As such, learning about the disease and its progression can make a big difference in how you the experience goes.

Take time to communicate with your loved one’s medical care team and other family members to make a care plan for the future.

Tips for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy. Here are some quick tips to help you care for them:

Routine is everything. As much as possible, try to maintain a routine, such as bathing, taking medications, napping, and eating at the same time every day.
Take hand-written notes. To improve memory, help your loved one write to-do lists, document medical appointments in a calendar, and save events somewhere they’re bound to look.
Plan activities that the person enjoys as often as possible.
Let them handle as much as they can on their own to keep their brain sharp.
Simplify everything as needed. Try velcro shoes, stretchy waistband pants, and grip/non-slip socks to make basic tasks safer and easier.
Equip their home with railing and other mobility tools to keep them safe.

Conclusion

If you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, we hope this article offered some tips to help you better navigate this disease and its progression. Dealing with Alzheimer’s as a family member is no easy taks, but you don’t have to do it alone.

The California Caregiver Resource Centers are here to support you. We are a non-profit network of 11 Centers that support caregivers across the state of California. Every county in the state is covered.