5 Secrets

5 Secrets

Here are 5 secrets that keep me going as a caregiver.   My husband has Alzheimer’s Disease and lives at home.

1.  Meds:  In the latter stages of Alzheimer’s disease, many Alzheimer’s patients become agitated and aggressive.  They also  experience changes in sleep patterns.  Thank you, Dr. P for prescribing Haloperidol in the morning, and 200 mg  of Seroquel  at night.  Otherwise we might be having punching fights by day (This didn’t happen, but it could have) and we would be knocking on doors in the dark at 4 A.M. (This did happen.)  I would not be able to handle my husband at home, if it were not for these two medications.

2.  Food, Exercise, Sleep:  It’s important for me to enjoy good health so I can take care of my husband.  Many caregivers end up dying before their loved one, due to stress and poor health caused by caregiving.  I try to eat healthy, thanks to the book Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman.  It’s saving my life, I hope!  My husband and I  walk outside or at the mall daily.  It’s good for both of us.  We both sleep through the night now, thanks to the meds.  When my husband was waking up every hour at night, I was a zombie. 

3.  Support Groups:  I go to two.  It’s extremely therapeutic to share what I’m going through with those who understand.  In the groups, we can tell funny stories about our loved ones without people thinking we are making fun of them, or thinking that we are taking the disease too lightly.  We need to laugh, because it is such a horrific disease.  We also receive important information on all aspects of the disease.

4.  Outside Help:   Our daughter and my brother each take care of my husband one day every week.  Other family members, including his siblings, our children (including spouses), grandchildren,and my siblings, are also great to help out.  I haven’t been able to leave him home alone for the past four years.  I love having a break.  Everyone isn’t blessed to have a supportive family close by.    There are places, like Neighborhood House, where patients can spend the day doing activities, while caregivers have some time off.  The Alzheimer’s Association is a great resource for help. 

5.  Me Time:  To keep myself pulled together and sane during this challenging time, I try to do something fun every day.  For me, it’s quiet little things like reading, writing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, gazing at the stars in our hammock…  For others, it might be tennis, soccer, golf, drawing, painting…