The ravages of Alzheimer's disease — memory loss, mood swings, depression and poor judgment, to name just a few — not only affect the 5.4 million Americans with Alzheimer's but also the 15 million-plus unpaid men and women who care for them. Symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves differently in each patient, but ultimately most people living with Alzheimer's will end up unable to function independently. They will have to rely on spouses, siblings, children, friends, neighbors or paid professionals for help. If you're a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's, here are some recommendations: The power of engagement Mental…
Your parents are living into their 90’s. Their savings have been depleted on the cost of care. Consequently, the only assets are their income, maybe a pension and Social Security. However, they still are at home, and need help with cooking, shopping and bathing. You receive a phone call, “I just don’t have enough to pay the caregiver next month.” What will you do? The savings are exhausted. Federal, State and Local Government programs have been cut. Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for the caregiver. Consequently, they may not get any help at all, unless they are in a…
Caring for an elderly loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s is a difficult thing, often both for the caregiver and the patient. This is especially true when it comes to effective communication. Enter “art therapy.” According to a recent article in The New York Times (The New Old Age Blog) titled Art Therapy For Alzheimer's Patients, art helps to comfort and often even invigorate a patient by giving them “something” with which to associate that does not require verbal interaction. As a result, various museums have begun programs with care professionals to provide guided tours for patients. These tours through…
Founded by Public Safety Officers, Project Lifesaver International (PLI), is an organization whose sole mission is to provide a timely response to save the lives of adults and children with Autism, Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome, Dementia, and other conditions, who wander. Started in 1999, PLI has offered public outreach programs to educate others about wandering. They have also provided equipment, training, certification and support to law enforcement and public safety officials through the country. These trainings include in-depth information on the use of specialized electronic search and rescue equipment technology and most importantly, how to communicate with people with cognitive or…
(CNN) — For years, the former host of "Good Morning America" had been a long-distance caregiver to her mother and brother in California, providing them with emotional and financial support from New York. After her brother's death in 2006 from complications from type II diabetes, Lunden needed to find a new home for her mother, who was suffering from the onset of dementia. Trying to create the best possible quality of life for an aging relative is "the new normal" for 43.5 million Americans caring for someone older than 50, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. It's not just their…
5.4 million people living in the U.S. has Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – and approximately 800,000 Americans are living alone, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The report, “2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures,” estimates that one in seven people with Alzheimer's or dementia lives alone, and that up to half of those people have no identifiable caregiver. Most are older women with milder impairment. Additionally, as the baby boom generation ages, more people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will be living alone. The analysis finds that Alzheimer’s costs the country about $200 billion per year in Medicare, Medicaid, and personal out-of-pocket expenses. As enormous…
Many people think of Alzheimer's as strictly a memory-stealing ailment. But as a caregiver, you know that it may also unleash difficult-to manage behaviors. We can help you addresses frequently asked questions on troubling Alzheimer's behaviors. For example: What happens when an Alzheimer's patient becomes overwhelmed? What environmental changes can trigger a negative reaction? As a caregiver, what can you do to minimize catastrophic incidents? How can you safely manage a patient who becomes physically aggressive? Should you ever use physical force to deal with a behavior problem? What causes vocalizations, such as yelling or constantly calling out? What are the…
Do you know where most of the millions of people who have Alzheimer's disease live? The answer, at home. Consequently, family and friends provide almost 75% of their care. That's why caregiving has been called the fastest growing unpaid profession in the United States. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, during the past year more than 67 million Americans provided care to a family member, friend, or loved one, many of whom are suffering from different stages of Alzheimer's disease or some other type of dementia. If you're a caregiver, you know first-hand what it's like: Getting swept up…
“Caregiving Contracts” are legal documents between your aging parent and a family member that spells out in very specific details the kinds of services and tasks the caregiver will provide, over what course of time and the rate of pay for the services performed by the caregiver. If you choose this option, I highly recommend using an elder law lawyer to draft up the contract and that other family members, especially siblings, should be aware of what is being agreed upon. To prevent conflicts, this type of arrangement should be transparent to all family stakeholders invested in your parent’s…
If you are caring for your mother or father, you may be able to claim your parent as a dependent on your income taxes. This would allow you to get an exemption ($3700 in 2011) for him or her. There are five tests to determine whether you can claim a parent as a dependent: The person you are claiming as a dependent must be related to you. This shouldn't be a problem if you are claiming a parent (in-laws are also allowed). Keep in mind, however, that foster parents do not count as a relative. To claim a foster parent,…
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