Alzheimer's- The Journey of Care

Loving someone through the Alzheimer’s Journey is full of ups and downs and becomes more difficult with each new day. As a care giving/ family member, just when you think you can’t handle one more day and begin to search for help, you get a few easy days where your loved one seems they are doing better. In fact, you begin to wonder why you were looking for help in the first place. Life becomes a vicious cycle of days where you can no longer handle the pressures of care giving to life being manageable. Then finally, you wake up one day and realize there are no more manageable days! The guilt, however, of letting someone else care for your loved one is overwhelming.

Caregivers experience both mental and physical exhaustion as Alzheimer’s progresses. Perhaps you are at the beginning of your journey and are asking yourself the very difficult questions…could my loved one be dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease, or are they perhaps just experiencing natural memory changes that come with the aging process? Here is a list of the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.

1. Memory lost that disrupts life
2. Challenges in planning or problem solving
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and special relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgement
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood or personality http://www.alz.org

Wherever in your journey you find yourself, always know help is available. Whether you need help with private care, assisted care, or a little pampering because of caregiver burnout, it’s never too early or too late to reach out. It’s also important to seek advice to find out when is a good time to rely on the help of others when safety becomes an issue. Locally, Wedgewood Estates of Mansfield is a great resource when you have questions or concerns. When you are ready to talk, we’re ready to help. Wedgewood Estates, the area’s premier senior residential community, 600 South Trimble Rd., in Mansfield. For more information call 419-756-7400 or visit us on line at wedgewoodseniorliving.com.