Wednesday, March 5, 2014

An Alzheimer’s caregiver guide to coping with stress

Being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s could be a very stressful job. The needs of the patient have to be taken into consideration all the time, and caregivers often get in to situations where their efforts could go to waste with even the smallest of mistakes, whether theirs, or worse, their patients’.

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The toll that such pressure exerts on a caregiver could have a significant strain on their mental health: 40 to 70 percent of Alzheimer’s caregivers suffer from depression and other anxiety-related ailments due to the constant stress. And the stress of the job could be extremely overwhelming for some caregivers, especially those related to the patient. Study shows that “compared to other caregivers, caregiver spouses aged 66 to 96 had a 63 percent mortality rate.”

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Fortunately, these numbers are not lost on experts. World health ministers have acknowledged the emotional and physical toll of caring for people with Alzheimer’s, and efforts are now in place to help caregivers effectively deal with the demands of their job.

Below are some practical tips that could help Alzheimer’s caregivers cope at work:

Do some reflection – Caregivers experience a full range of emotions while caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. These can range from anxiety to anger, and everything in between. Caregivers need to take a little time each day to calm down and process these feelings to eliminate any stressful situation.

Keep fit – When all the attention is focused on the patient, it can be all too tempting to disregard one’s own health. Some caregivers may not get enough rest or nutrition or even have little time to exercise. They need to looking after themselves, too, so that they are in better condition to care for their patient.

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Ask for help–Caregivers could turn to their family and friends when they need help physically, psychologically, or emotionally.

David Wildebrandt is a healthcare operations expert and the director of Berkeley Research Group. Follow this Twitter account for select news on health care and healthcare operations.

6 comments:

  1. Yeah it's true that being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s could be very stressful job!

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  2. Stress can lead to a lot of complications in our health. This tips help a lot in coping with our stress!

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  3. Being physically fit can help a lot in being a caregiver.

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  4. This article says it all! I totally agree in here!

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  5. It is important to take care of your health while you're doing your responsibility as a caregiver.

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  6. This tip is simple yet effective!

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