| "I am a Carer". There you go, "straight
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| | by learning care giving skills, you can
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| off the bat" as they say, I write this
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| | make sure that your loved one feels
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| article (the first in a series) in my
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| | supported and is living a full life. You
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| role as a Primary Carer first and author
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| | can also ensure that you are taking steps
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| second. At present I am the primary carer
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| | to preserve your own well-being. Caring
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| for my elderly mother who is suffering
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| | for someone who has Alzheimer's disease
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| from the advance stages of Alzheimer's
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| | or another illness involving dementia can
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| disease. It is desperately cruel disease
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| | be very difficult, time-consuming, and
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| (most are, I know) in that it robs people
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| | stressful - (serious understatement
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| (by and large) of their dignity and their
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| | here). Here are some more things a care
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| independence at a stage in life when they
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| | giver can do to help the person with
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| need it most. In the United Kingdom, the
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| | Alzheimer's disease while also reducing
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| Alzheimer's Society claimed in a recent
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| | the substantial burden that comes with
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| survey that over 750,000 people suffered
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| | care giving: * Stay Informed -
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| from Alzheimer's and related dementia
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| | Knowledge equals power. The more you know
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| problems. In the United States it is
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| | about Alzheimer's disease or any other
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| calculated that an estimated 4.5 million
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| | signs of dementia, the better you can
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| people suffer from Alzheimer's and that
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| | prepare yourself to deal with problems
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| this figure has doubled since 1980.
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| | that may arise. * Share concerns with
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| Further alarming statistics highlight the
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| | the person - A person who is mildly to
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| fact that it is possible that in the US
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| | moderately impaired can assist in his/her
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| alone, the number of people suffering
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| | own care. Memory aides and other
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| from Alzheimer's could more than double
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| | strategies can be created by the person
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| to between 11.5 and 13 million sufferers
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| | with dementia and the caregiver together.
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| by 2050. Alzheimer's disease is what is
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| | This is easier said than done I know but
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| described as a progressive disorder of
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| | you have to give it a try. But, and this
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| the brain that gradually destroys a
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| | is a big but (no laughs here please) it
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| persons' memory, ability to learn,
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| | is essential that you realise that you
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| reason, make judgements, communicate and
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| | are probably dealing with a person who if
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| carry out daily activities. As the
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| | they have any cognisance at all, will be
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| disease progresses, sufferers may also
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| | in denial. * Solve problems one at a
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| experience changes in their personality
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| | time - A multitude of problems may occur
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| and display such behavioural changes
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| | that may seem insurmountable at the time.
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| ranging from anxiety, agitation or
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| | Work on one specific problem at a time --
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| suspicion right up to and / or including
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| | you do not have to solve every problem
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| delusions and hallucinations Although
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| | all at once. As the saying goes "Success
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| there is currently no cure for
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| | by the inch is a cinch, by the yard it's
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| Alzheimer's, new treatments are on the
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| | hard" and in this case this has never
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| horizon as a result of accelerating
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| | been more true. * Use your
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| insight into the biology of the disease.
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| | imagination - One of the keys to handling
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| Research has also shown that effective
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| | this disease is your ability to adapt. If
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| care and support can improve quality of
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| | something can't be done one way, try
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| life for individuals and their caregivers
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| | another. For example, if the person only
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| over the course of the disease from
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| | uses his or her fingers for eating, do
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| diagnosis to the end of life. Considering
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| | not keep fighting; just serve as many
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| the long term implications for
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| | finger foods as possible! * Establish
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| Alzheimer's sufferers, the hidden
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| | an environment that encourages freedom
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| sociological impact will in reality be
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| | and activity within limits Try to create
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| born on the shoulders of those who will
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| | a stable, balanced schedule for meals,
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| be caring for the sufferers for it is
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| | medication, etc. but also encourage
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| indeed a bittersweet irony that those who
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| | activities that the patient can handle
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| care for the sufferers in reality suffer
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| | such as taking a walk or visiting an old
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| more than the sufferers do themselves.
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| | friend. Remember, the person with AD is
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| This fact in itself has been largely
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| | not the only one whose needs must be
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| responsible for another survey finding
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| | taken into consideration. You as a
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| recently and that was the fact that
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| | caregiver have needs and desires that
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| Americans are equally afraid of caring
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| | must also be met. First, try and find
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| for someone who has Alzheimer's as much
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| | some time for yourself. Even though this
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| as they are of developing the disease
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| | suggestion may seem like an
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| themselves. Approximately 1 in 2 American
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| | impossibility, find some time during the
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| adults are more apprehensive of caring
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| | week where you can have someone else
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| for partner or loved one who has
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| | watch the patient -- be it a relative,
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| developed Alzheimer's. Just less than 1
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| | friend, or neighbour -- and do something
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| in 5 American adults have indicated that
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| | for yourself. * Avoid social
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| they are more afraid of getting the
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| | isolation - Keep up contacts with friends
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| disease themselves (17%). The real
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| | and relatives. It's easy to get burned
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| problem from a carer's perspective is
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| | out when it seems like you have no one to
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| that no two people experience Alzheimer's
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| | turn to. Another way to establish
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| disease in the same way. As a result,
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| | contacts is by joining the Alzheimer's
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| there's no one approach to care giving.
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| | Association or other such support groups.
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| Your care giving responsibilities can
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| | Talking with other families who share
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| range from making financial decisions,
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| | many of the very same problems can be
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| managing changes in behaviour, to helping
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| | reassuring as it helps you know you are
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| a loved one get dressed in the morning.
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| | not alone in your round-the-clock
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| Handling these duties is hard work. But
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| | struggles.
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