Caregiver+Guidelines

__Caregiver Guidelines__
__﻿﻿Characteristics to help caregivers recognize Alzheimer's disease.__
 * Challenges in planning or solving problems
 * Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
 * Confusion with time or place
 * Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
 * New problems with words in speaking or writing
 * Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
 * Decreased or poor judgment
 * Withdrawal from work or social activities
 * Changes in mood and personality

For more information about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s, visit [|the Alzheimer's Association Website.].

__Caregiver Tasks__

Instrumental ADLs (Unable to drive but can live alone with daily assistance):
 * Shopping for groceries, preparing meals, and providing transportation.
 * Helping the person take medications correctly and following treatment recommendations for Alzheimer's disease.
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Managing finances and legal affairs.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Personal ADLs (Rely on others for daily living, needs live-in assistant):
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Bathing
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Dressing
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Grooming
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Feeding
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Assist with managing person with incotinence

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">1. Managing safety issues and behavioral symptoms of the disease:
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Assisting with mobility needs and transferring from bed to chair.
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Supervising the person to avoid unsafe activities such as wandering and getting lost

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">2. Finding and using supportive services:
 * <span style="color: #5925ad; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Making arrangements for medical care and paid in-home, assisted living or nursing home care

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">3. Hiring and supervising others who provide care.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">4. Performing household chores.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Imagine an ordinary day of running errands, taking care of your family, a full work schedule, and maybe even attending school. All of this added together may cause normal stress that we all experience. Now add to that all the tasks above, did you just experience a mental overload..... most likely if you did you are normal. This is an average day in the life of a caregiver of an Alzheimer's patient. The added stress can cause a major psychological impact on a person. Most often the caregiver has no time left to take care of themself. According to the A.A. these caregivers experience emotional stress, stress related to nursing home care, and stress related to end of life care. All of these stress factors can lead to physical health deterioration most often the caregiver neglects to take care of the their own health and they in turn can lead a bad quality of life.

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