Caregiver support

Dementia is a burden that extends beyond the patient. Dementia has an impact on the family and the caregiver, in addition to the community and the nation's economy. Agitation is one of the most difficult aspects of caring for persons with dementia. (NLM, 2018)

• 72% say their health has worsen since becoming a caregiver (healthline, 2018)
• 59% experience anxiety (healthline, 2018)
• 32% miss their own doctor’s appointments due to caregiving (healthline, 2018)
• 15% have been hospitalized for their own health since becoming a caregiver (healthline, 2018)

Many caregivers suffer from depression. In fact, 14.9% of caregivers have a prevalence of clinical depression. 96 caregivers (43.2%) reported having no symptoms of depression, 45 (20.3%) had mild symptoms, 15 (6.8%) had moderate-to-severe symptoms, and 8 (3.6%) had severe symptoms. Dementia was mild in 46 patients (22%), moderate in 73 patients (34.9%), and severe in 90 patients (43.1%). Dementia patients' caregivers bear a heavy load, have a lower health-related quality of life, and may be more likely to experience clinical depression. (NLM, 2018)

There are services available to assist with the onerous task of caring for someone with dementia. You probably have several duties as a caregiver. Having a support system is crucial for taking care of your own wellbeing. Therefore, visit www.otiom.com.

You can discover that you have so many duties as a caretaker that you forget to look after your own needs. But maintaining your physical and mental stamina is the finest thing you can do for the person you are caring for.

Read more here

• See a doctor
• Make a move
• Ways to help you cope: Eat well

(2023 Alzheimer's Association, 2023)

Take care of yourself

It is hard to remember to take care of oneself when another person needs you. Many relatives have difficulty finding the time and energy to do the things they like doing. This impacts their quality of life. Close relatives of people with dementia are therefore more often stressed and more prone to depression than other people, because supporting and caring for a person with a dementia disorder demands a lot of time and energy. (Otiom, 2023)

Practical tasks are one thing; the thoughts and concerns that are always present are something else. You should therefore do what you can to take a break where you can do something you enjoy. Maybe you just need a few hours to read to go for a walk. Regardless of what you need, prioritize finding the time, so you can also find fresh energy to be there for your loved one. (Otiom, 2023)

If friends and family offer their help, accept it—even though it may be difficult to do so. You can help your relatives by telling them where and how they can help. Be open about what you and your loved one need. You can also apply for professional help at home, for example, home help. You can also get relief care for the person with dementia, ranging from a few hours a week to several weeks at a time. Aids can also make everyday life easier. (Otiom, 2023)

As relatives, you may feel very lonely. Your friends and family may not fully understand the illness or the situation you find yourself in. It might be challenging to have to help a parent or spouse with personal hygiene, but at the same time, it may be too difficult to refuse.

It is important not to isolate yourself. Everyone needs social contact and to feel understood. You can use your friends, family, and networks to find relatives of people with dementia or seek counseling with a psychologist. A psychologist is particularly good at helping if you have difficulty with your own boundaries. (Otiom, 2023)

Would you like to find out more? Visit Otioms’ School of dementia here

https://otiom.com/the-school-of-dementia/

Bibliography

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Dementia UK . (2023). Types of dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/

Dementia UK . (2023). Vascular dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/vascular-dementia/#risk

Dementia UK. (2023). Alcohol related brain damage. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/alcohol-related-brain-damage/

2023 Alzheimer's Association. (2023). Be a Healthy Caregiver. Retrieved from Alzheimer's Association: https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/caregiver-health/be_a_healthy_caregiver

Alzheimer's Association. (2023). Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Retrieved from Alzheimer's Association: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/down-syndrome

Dementia Australia Ltd. (2022). About Dementia. Retrieved 2023, from Dementia Australia: https://www.dementia.org.au/information/about-dementia

Dementia UK . (2023). About dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/#symptoms

Dementia UK . (2023). Lewy body dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/

Dementia UK . (2023). Symptoms of dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/dementia-information/symptoms-of-dementia/

Dementia UK . (2023). Understanding frontotemporal dementia. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/frontotemporal-dementia/

Dementia UK . (n.d.). Getting a dementia diagnosis. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: Dementia UK 2023

Dementia UK. (2023). Alzheimer’s disease. Retrieved from Dementia UK 2023: https://www.dementiauk.org/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/alzheimers-disease/

healthline. (2018). The State of Caregiving for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia 2018. Retrieved from healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/state-of-alzheimers#cost-of-alzheimer's---caregiver-health

NHS. (n.d.). About dementia. Retrieved from NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about/

NLM. (2018). Depression Among Caregivers of Patients With Dementia. Retrieved from NLM: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5798670/

Otiom. (2022). Types of dementia. Retrieved 2023, from Otiom: https://otiom.com/types-of-dementia/types-of-dementia/

Otiom. (2023). Good advice for relatives of people with dementia. Retrieved from Otiom: https://otiom.com/relatives/good-advice-for-relatives-of-people-with-dementia/

World Health Organization. (2023, March 15). Dementia. Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia