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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople with Alzheimer's disease often experience a mixture of emotions — confusion, frustration, anger, fear, uncertainty, grief and depression.
You can help a person cope with the disease by being there to listen, reassuring the person that life can still be enjoyed, providing unconditional love, and doing your best to help the person retain dignity and self-respect.
A calm and stable home environment reduces behavior problems. New situations, noise, large groups of people, being rushed or pressed to remember, or being asked to do complicated tasks can cause anxiety. As a person with Alzheimer's becomes upset, the ability to think clearly declines even more.
Caring for the caregiver
Providing care for a person with Alzheimer's disease is physically and emotionally demanding. Feelings of anger and guilt, frustration and discouragement, worry and grief, and social isolation are common. If you're a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's disease, you can help yourself by:
- Asking friends or other family members for help when you need it
- Taking care of your health
- Learning as much about the disease as you can
- Asking questions of doctors, social workers and others involved in the care of your loved one
- Joining a support group
Many people with Alzheimer's and their families benefit from counseling or local support groups. Contact your local Alzheimer's Association affiliate to get connected with support groups, doctors, resources and referrals, home care agencies, supervised living facilities, a telephone help line, and educational seminars.
- Alzheimer's disease fact sheet. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm. Accessed Oct. 31, 2008.
- Shadlen MF, et al. Evaluation of cognitive impairment and dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2008.
- Caselli RJ, et al. The degenerative dementias: Alzheimer's disease. In: Goetz CG, et al. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/109112945-3/0/1488/287.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2008.
- Alzheimer's information: Causes. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/AlzheimersInformation/Causes/. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Shadlen MF, et al. Dementia syndromes. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Basics of Alzheimer's disease: What it is and what you can do. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_basicsofalz_low.pdf. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Alzheimer's disease genetics fact sheet. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/geneticsfs.htm. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Shadlen MF, et al. Risk factors for dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Kelley BJ, et al. Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Neurological Clinics. 2007;25:577.
- Late-stage care. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_latestage.pdf. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Dementia care practice recommendations for assisted living residences and nursing homes. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_DCPRphases1n2.pdf. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Press D, et al. Cholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Press D, et al. Treatment of dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Press D, et al. Prevention of dementia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Natural medicines in the clinical management of Alzheimer's disease. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Nov. 10, 2008.
- Alexander M, et al. Patient information: Alzheimer's disease. http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~eWpcYl7lC9LRwe. Accessed Nov. 10, 2008.
- Press D, et al. Future directions in dementia treatments. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 7, 2008.
- Smith GE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 19, 2008.
- DeKosky ST, et al. Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;19:2253.
