Families With Alzheimers

Resources

IN OUR WEB SITE

The family unit and the individuals in your family are your most important resources.   It is critical to both the patient and the caregiver that the family come together to develop and implement a plan.     One of the strategic parts of the care plan is the identification of the resources available.  Available resources will change as the disease progresses and can change each fiscal year if they are programs initiated through public funding. The point person for financial affairs should participate closely in the identification of available resources..

HOME Ask Aunt Annie has advice on living with Alzheimer's and being a caregiver The Ask Annie Archive has answers and practical caregiving tips. The Buddy Plan pairs caregivers for one-on-one friendships with people who have been there. Read about nursing homes and how to make a safe transition for your loved one. Read about coming home from a nursing home and how to plan to bring your loved one home. Check out some of the nutrients, vitamins and supplements that we have tried and what to ask your medical team. Read about where to find resources and how to decide what you need. Read about Alzheimer's Disease and its stages in normal people-talk. Read about the warning signs for Alzheimer's Disease. How your family can live with Alzheimer's Disease. How our family has lived with Alzheimer's Disease. How home health care professionals can help your family live with Alzheimer's Disease at home.

ASK ANNIE Advice for Caregivers & Families

Resource & Needs Assessments

The primary caregiver needs to talk a caregiver who has been there and to medical professionals about what to expect from the disease and the patient.  As the stages of the disease progress the needs with change and so will the resources available.  It is really important that these needs and resource assessments be re-evaluated yearly and after any major medical change.    Put pen to paper and jot down the regular things that have to be done every day and and what you might need help with.   Talk about the daily needs and the resources that you might have available with your family and ask everybody to think about what they might do to pitch in.    Find a financial advisor and a medical professional you feel comfortable with and talk about what resources are available to your family.  Look in the Yellow Pages and talk to non-profit groups, associations and organizations that might offer your family assistance.     Look to your friends, family, church and other organizations to which you belong for advice and suggestions.  You really can't get too much help.   E-mail us for more specific resource info.

BUDDY SYSTEM

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN IT'S YOUR FAMILY?

I've put together a "Buddy Plan" here at our web site and offer it free to any interested caregiver.    Please e-mail me if you would like to participate.    The idea is that it really is easier to tackle today's problems if you have somebody to talk to who has just been there.    Each of us signs up to be a buddy to someone who is at an earlier stage in the caregiving and disease process and, in turn, get a buddy who has been where we are going.

There are so many things that a caregiver must do that I believe the most important step is to have a family meeting.  This is an opportunity to share your feelings and your fears and to make everybody a part of the caregiving process.     Designate a person to be the point person for financial matters and someone to do research on new cures and so on.  This helps practically but, most important, it makes caregiving a team effort and not a solo trial.  Everything is easier when you aren't alone.