Alzheimer's Caregivers Consultations and Support

I had an opportunity to visit with Alzheimer's community resource specialist Jacque Murray yesterday, who was giving Caregiver Consultations at the Central Coast Seniors Center, San Luis Obispo area, California, where I write a blog for their organization. Jacque Murray, of the San Luis Obispo, California, Alzheimer's Association became a Caregiver's Consultant after her mother passed away from Alzheimer's ten years ago.

Jacque said she is concerned that many people who could benefit from resources offered by the Alzheimer's Association are not aware of the support that is provided, as well as the educational resources. She offers one-to-one visits where caregivers can have an opportunity to sit down with someone and discuss resources and ideas that will be of help.

When a diagnosis of Alzheimer's is made by a doctor a family may not know where to turn for help or who to call. They also may not be familiar with what to expect, how to cope, where to learn how to communicate and provide caregiving, and where to find resources. Your local Alzheimer's organization is there to answer questions, provide groups for sharing, and provide education for caregivers.

She also works with Alzheimer's Support Groups in the area where people share experiences and get educational information to help them cope.

To find your local Alzheimer's Association you can go to their website for locations. Isolation is often a problem for Alzheimer's Caregivers and attending one of the support groups and can provide an opportunity to share with others and make friends.

Education about Alzheimer's has been proven in studies to reduce the stress level of Alzheimer's caregivers, and your local Alzheimer's organization can be your educational resource as well as a support resource. The article at News Daily titled "Family Caregivers Life Shortened" explained the study in which the stress and exhaustion of being an Alzheimer's caregiver can shorten life by an average of 4 to 8 years.

The recent news articles, which were not unexpected, about the effects of stress and exhaustion on Alzheimer's caregivers, emphasize the importance of support for the caregivers. "Caregiver Syndrome," is described at CNN and you can read about it if you click on the link, and find it by doing a search on the website search box.

Study Shows Caregiver Stress Includes Depression and Shorter Lifespan

The exhaustion and stress of caregivers for elders with Alzheimer's makes the caregivers' own health suffer. A recent study from Ohio State compared non-caregivers with caregivers for Alzheimer's sufferers. The caregivers for people with Alzheimer's had much higher rates of depression and of changes in the immune system. The article, at Medical News Today, titled "Stressed Caregivers Had Decreased Lifespan" explains a three decade long study between the effects of psychological stress and the immune system, showing genetic and molecular changes in the immune system from stress. Lifespan was shortened by the effects of the stress.

The three decade long study has also included medical students, newlyweds, divorced spouses, widows and widowers, and married couples. The recent study on caregivers of Alzheimer's sufferers included a professor of immunology, a professor of psychiatry, and the National Institute on Aging.

The symptoms of depression for the caregivers of people with Alzheimer's were twice as severe as for non-caregivers.

What can be done to help the caregivers for people who have Alzheimer's?

Articles and studies say that doctors refer to caregivers as the "hidden patients". The studies and numbers keep adding up to show that caregivers are exhausted, stressed, suffering more depression, and living a shortened lifespan when compared to non-caregivers.

A recent article at parade.com by author Gail Sheehy asked "How can we help our nation's caregivers?" With the population of elderly people who have Alzheimer's rising the topic of caring for the caregiver is becoming a crisis.

Recent studies have proved that providing training for caregivers made a difference in caregiver stress. An article titled "Training Helps Alzheimer's Caregivers" in the Associated Press on August 12, 2007 discussed the proven stress reduction for caregivers who received training. The problem is that most Alzheimer's caregivers don't have any spare time to spend finding and getting training. Daily life is an ongoing struggle to balance all of the demands.