Caregiver Whittier, CA: Caring for a Parent with Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that family caregivers spend an average of 22 hours per week providing care. Caring for a parent may seem easy at first. As the disease progresses, it starts to feel like you’re caring for a child and then a toddler. Agitation, refusal, and biting/hitting may appear when your parent is upset or frustrated.

One thing you’ll hear over and over is to make sure you have help. People tell you all the time to make sure you have help. What does that mean and how do you find it?

Areas Where Caregiving Can Become Too Much

As you provide care to a parent with Alzheimer’s, your emotions are going to take a beating. That first time your mom or dad doesn’t recognize you and insists you’re an unwanted stranger, it’s brutal. When your mom becomes so angry with you for not “taking her home” when she is home, you’ll want to cry. When your dad tells you, he hates you and never wants to see you again, it’s just as heartbreaking.

You may also take some physical abuse. In a moment of sheer frustration, your dad shoves you out of the way and you fall. Your mom slaps you because you tried to get her to wear her new shirt. You get bitten while trying to help your dad put on his pants.

As the disease progresses, you’ll be helping your parent clean up after going to the bathroom. There may be adult continence briefs to change, extra laundry to do, and showers to help with. Your parent may start fighting you when it comes to showering. Days pass and your mom or dad still insists they just took a shower even though they haven’t had one in almost a week.

There are meals to prepare. Your parent will often refuse meals if they’re not sweet. Tastes change a lot and many Alzheimer’s patients crave sugary treats and never want to eat their meats or veggies.

If you live with your parent, you’ll need alarms when wandering becomes an issue. You’ll find it hard to sleep as your parent’s sleep cycles may not be normal. You could wind up staying up with a parent until 2 a.m. on and having to be up early to see your kids off to school.

How Do You Find Help?

You need help with all of those situations. You need support, so start by checking with the local Alzheimer’s Association to find out when area support groups meet. If you can’t find one, look online.

Talk to your parent’s memory care doctors to find out if there are groups that meet. If the office has a social worker who specializes in Alzheimer’s care, schedule appointments with that social worker.

Finally, call a home care agency. You need help from caregivers who can take over while you take a break. Caregivers become your greatest ally when you’re providing Alzheimer’s care.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering a Caregiver in Whittier , CA please contact the caring staff at American Geriatric Care Management, LLC today at (310) 648-0614.

Sources:

https://www.caregiver.org/caregiver-statistics-demographics

Author
Recent Posts

Ellen Samson

CEO at American Geriatric Care Management

American Geriatric was founded from personal experience of Ellen. Originating from a culture-rich country and strong family ties, Ellen felt the need of sharing the responsibility of taking care of the elders of the family. Growing up with the grandpas’ and grandmas’ love and care, spoiled with kisses and gifts and advice gave her the passion for returning the care.

In June 2011, American Geriatric was incorporated.It started out with a few staff. With the increasing number of clients signing up for in-home care, it expanded its network and multiplied the number of care providers to accommodate the need. In January 2012, health coordination and family dynamics support services were offered to cater to a more complex care needs of the elderly.

American Geriatric is now a full-fledged licensed Home Care Organization regulated by Home Care Services Bureau of California Department of Social Services, in full compliance with AB1217, The Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act.