5 Ways Caring for a Loved One with Dementia Can Change Your Life
Elder Care in Amberley OH
It’s easy to assume you can take care of an aging parent, especially when they have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. You live just down the street from them, they’ve been there for you your entire life, and it just feels like your responsibility.
Keep in mind that nothing is as simple as it may seem. If you have no prior experience supporting somebody with Alzheimer’s, you may make a number of mistakes. Those mistakes may be minimal or they can be severe. It all depends on the individual, their health, physical strength, dexterity, and much more.
Here are five ways that providing care and support for somebody diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can actually change your life.
You will have limited time.
Make no mistake about it, when you begin providing care for somebody with Alzheimer’s, it’s going to consume more and more of your time. As the disease progresses the need for support will increase.
Stress will mount.
You may not think that stress is going to be a major problem for you, especially considering this is a family member whom you love and care about tremendously. If you feel stressed, wouldn’t that have some indication that you don’t really want to do this?
Not at all. Stress as a caregiver can be caused by many factors, including worrying about their safety, frustrations because they won’t listen to you, and of course limitations on your availability.
You will face unforeseen challenges.
You may have a decent understanding about what to expect, but there are going to be challenges you don’t anticipate. For example, you know that aggressive tendencies and verbal outbursts may be possible, but when your mother or father begins shouting at you, calling you every name in the book, and saying things you couldn’t imagine them saying to anyone else, it’s going to hit you. Hard.
You will become more empathetic.
Your empathy will increase. That’s because you are witnessing the challenges somebody else faces because of mental or physical limitations, it can hit home. That empathy may be incredibly powerful for you.
You may already be a tremendously empathetic person, but doing this type of work is going to increase that tenfold in your life.
Some of the ways you will change as a caregiver for somebody with Alzheimer’s will be positive, but many will be difficult to overcome. It’s best to consider relying on experienced home care support instead.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Amberley, OH, please contact the caring staff at Queen City Elder Care today. Serving Cincinnati and Surrounding Communities. Call Us Today (513) 510-4410.
Michele Vollmer is a visionary leader who is perpetually searching for ways to improve, so to remain at the leading edge of the home care industry.She has served in the healthcare industry since 1989, including pharmaceutical and home health sales, as well as hospice sales and sales management.
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