An Alzheimer’s diagnosis is unquestionably difficult for the whole family. Watching your loved one’s personality change and coordinating care with other family members all present challenges that can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make it less stressful and help you cope with this challenging disease.
Coping with challenging behavior
As Alzheimer’s progresses, many challenging behaviors arise. Your loved one may become more easily agitated; they may experience paranoia and accuse you of stealing; and of course, they’ll struggle to remember your name and, at times, who you are. These changes are very upsetting for family members, often causing them to grieve for the person their loved one used to be.
In order to cope, it’s important to remember that challenging behaviors are symptoms of the disease – you should not take them personally or view them as a reflection of your relationship. It’s also important to learn to appreciate your loved one for the person they are now.
Support groups are also a helpful tool for family members caring for a loved one with memory impairment. They offer an opportunity to openly discuss your feelings with people who understand what you’re going through, and provide valuable coping tips.
Coping with family conflict
Another issue many families face is conflicting ideas about how best to care for the memory-impaired loved one. You may struggle to agree about medical treatments or the best care setting, or feel like the burden of care is not being fairly shared.
The best way to overcome such conflict is to be honest about your feelings and keep the lines of communication open. Some additional tips to help your family best cope with the challenges presented by Alzheimer’s:
- Let each family member contribute in a way that is comfortable for them, whether that’s directly caring for your loved one, helping with chores and errands, or dealing with financial and legal issues.
- If you’re feeling stress or overwhelmed, say so. Work with your family members to brainstorm more effective ways to share the burden of care.
- Keep an open mind as you listen to the thoughts and feelings of other family members.
- Talk about your own feelings in a constructive manner.
- Don’t play the blame game.
Learning to work through the challenges will help you provide your loved one with the best possible care and enjoy your time together.