In this video series, we highlight caregivers Stephanie and Delores. These women care for their husbands who have Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s a look at what an average day looks like from sun up to sun down!
Tag Caregiving
Helping Alzheimer’s Families – Including Your Own – Survive the Holidays
Holidays can be challenging for people with Alzheimer’s disease, and can be a particularly stressful time for caregivers. The added layer of seemingly required holiday rituals, family and other social obligations, may completely tear apart an already stretched thin caregiving schedule. If you know a caregiver or their loved one, what can you do to help? If you are a caregiver, how can others help you?
Reach out and share the precious gift of time
Bake some cookies or provide a frozen meal for a caregiving neighbor or friend. Bring a treat or holiday cards to an assisted living facility, or spend an afternoon listening to some old-time music with someone without local family. Smile. Hold a hand or pat a shoulder. Make a coupon book for a caregiver, providing coupons for cleaning service, errands or respite time. Ask friends to do the same for you. Continue reading “Helping Alzheimer’s Families – Including Your Own – Survive the Holidays” »
Portrait of Care: Angie
Angie is a caregiver for her husband John, who is in the early middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease. While John is still able to do many things, such as shower, brush his teeth and get dressed, he needs physical assistance, direction and cues from Angie on how and when to do them. He spends time watching TV, counting money – and lately has been holding something invisible in his hands that he keeps handing to Angie! Angie works full time and helps make caregiving ends meet through the use of adult day care and family and friends. Here is a brief look into Angie and John’s morning routine.
Caregiving is never easy – join the #lifeasacaregiver tweetathon
November is National Family Caregiver Month. Join the #lifeasacaregiv
Portrait of Care: Jim
Jim is a caregiver for his mom, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2011 – but she has been showing signs for more than 15 years. He handles all of her day to day care, including: organizing her medication, scheduling medical appointments and taking her to them, make sure she is comfortable with her newspaper every day, coordinating Meals on Wheels, coordinating two companions who sing and do art with her for one-two hours a week each, cleaning the apartment and handling anything else that comes up – such as helping her recover from surgery, adjusting the thermostat as needed, reminding her to call her sister on her sister’s birthday and disabling the stove when his mother was causing kitchen fires! He does all of this on his own while working as a consultant and teaching classes at Contra Costa College. His mom spends most of her day reading the newspaper and cutting out articles, watching TV and doing very basic chores. Here is a look into a day with Jim and his mom.
Portrait of Care: Sushma
Sushma is a caregiver for her dad, who in 2008 was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia and in 2012 received the news that the disease had progressed to the later stages of Alzheimer’s, leaving him completely unable to take care of himself. She lives in Antioch, works full time in Walnut Creek, and for the last five years has been commuting three days a week to Union City to care for her dad and give her mom a break. Just as the expression goes “It takes a village to raise a child” the same can be said for caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s! She shares the role of caregiver with her mom Sadhana, sister Shashil, caregiver Otti and her nephew Junior. Here is a brief look at a day in the life… #lifeasacaregiver.
