Do you have loved ones or someone you know who suffer from Alzheimer’s dementia (AD)? Have you spent at least one day, taking care of them? It is hard emotionally and physically, with frustration one is often left to wonder if the person you knew your entire life still exists. Depending on the degree of progression of the disease, the level of hardship that caregivers experience drastically changes.
Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) is commonly found neurodegenerative disorder and there are 30 million people affected worldwide and this number is to double every 20 years. This is true because the AD is a prevalently found disease in elderly and with population ageing, it is becoming a serious issue across the world. AD is a problem because it often results in death caused by secondary infections in incapacitated patients. Understanding the possible outcomes of the disease, it is heart-breaking to watch over a family member or a close one progress through AD, where they start off confused, lose motor and cognitive skills to the final stage, complete loss of self-identity.
AD is scary because this disease not only poisons the body of the patient but the people around them. It most strongly impacts the caregiver that provides for the patients over the period from early cognitive impairment stage to full on-set dementia. In many studies, there is overwhelmingly lots of evidence that long-term treatments of AD patient often burden the caregivers financially and tire them out physically. These caregivers are in increased risk of physical and psychological illness because of dysfunctional coping strategies for stress and depression from significant physical, socio-economic and psychological burdens on them.
It is now recommended to many doctors, that they need to not only treat the patient but the caregivers that care for them. In a study, they examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and different coping strategies in primary caregivers of non-institutionalized AD patients. This study tests three different coping methods: cognitive coping strategies, behavioural coping strategies, and avoidant coping strategies.
- The cognitive coping strategy uses active thinking about the stressful situations and for the individual to analyze why it is stressful
- The behavioural coping method involves individual participating in activities on behalf of them
- And lastly, the avoidance coping method is when the individual ignores or avoids the emotional consequences from the stressor.
The Behavioral coping method and Cognitive coping method showed an increase in the level of depression in the first six months but remained stable over the course of the four years of study. While Avoidance coping method was positively correlated with depressive symptoms.
There is a strong consensus that taking care of disabled elderly is difficult and stressful for many family members. At times they may feel burdened, but instead of condemning them for such thoughts, we should encourage them to feel the emotions and to express it. Doctors addressing the coping methods is a helpful intervention to caregivers in mental and emotional strains.
Video: Caregivers of Alzheimer’s Disease
This video goes over the personal experiences of AD caregivers, the emotional, physical, and social toll that they had to go through. Many times, caregivers find it daunting to see the patient that should be fully capable or used to be the support are now the ones that require care.
Video: On How Can We Support Carers?
This video also goes over the basic needs of caregivers that it is essential for them to look after themselves before they can look after patients.
