Taking Care of My Parent with Alzheimer’s while having Kids of My Own

Taking care of an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s can be a challenging task, especially if you are a family caregiver with kids of your own. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is a progressive disease that gradually gets worse over time and can affect the daily life of a person and their family members.

As a family caregiver with kids of your own, you have to manage your own household, take care of your children’s needs, and at the same time, provide care to your elderly parent with Alzheimer’s. This can be overwhelming, but with the right mindset and support, it can also be a fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Understanding Alzheimer’s is Key

Firstly, it is essential to understand Alzheimer’s disease and its progression. Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that affects the brain cells, causing them to degenerate and die. This can cause the person with Alzheimer’s to experience memory loss, confusion, difficulty with language, and other cognitive and behavioral changes.

As a family caregiver, it is essential to be patient, compassionate, and understanding when caring for your elderly parent with Alzheimer’s. Here are some caregiver tips to help you manage caregiving duties while taking care of your own family:

1. Learn about Alzheimer’s disease: Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease, its symptoms, and how it progresses. Understanding the disease can help you plan for the future and manage caregiving duties more effectively.
2. Create a routine: Establishing a daily routine can help your parent with Alzheimer’s feel more comfortable and secure. It can also help you manage caregiving duties and other responsibilities more efficiently.
3. Provide a safe environment: Ensure that your home is safe for your parent with Alzheimer’s. This may include installing safety features like handrails, removing clutter and tripping hazards, and using locks to prevent wandering.
4. Engage in activities: Encourage your parent with Alzheimer’s to engage in activities that they enjoy. This can help them feel more engaged, reduce agitation and depression, and improve their overall quality of life.
5. Seek support: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. Seek support from family, friends, or professionals, like a therapist or support group. Caregiving can be challenging, and it’s essential to take care of your own mental and physical health as well.
6. Take care of yourself: Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Take time to care for yourself, get enough rest, eat well, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that you enjoy.
7. Talk to your kids: Explain to your kids about Alzheimer’s disease and how it affects their grandparent. It can be confusing and scary for kids to see their grandparent’s cognitive and behavioral changes. Talking openly can help them understand and cope with the situation.

Conclusion: A Challenging Opportunity

In conclusion, caring for an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to show love and support to your loved one. Remember to take care of yourself and seek support when needed. With patience, compassion, and understanding, you can make a positive impact on your parent’s life and create meaningful memories with your own family.

Not a Happy Visit to Mom’s

There is a sad dilemma which plays out in many homes during holiday get-togethers: The kids come home for what they thought would be a short visit – then encounter an emergency situation with their parents. 

In some cases, the parent had slowly declined over the past year and had reached a point where a care decision could no longer be delayed. Some decisions, however, to be made now and the kids knew that it had to be made quickly.

Quick decisions were necessary because (1)  Mom or Dad’s health required immediate action; (2)  the kids had very little time to act; (3)  they couldn’t just go back home without doing something.

Many of these kids did take some action such as doing family meetings, seeking immediate medical attention for their declining parent and taking actions to make homes safer.

But they knew they needed to do more and are still struggling with the question of what to do next. It is for this reason that we wrote Mom’s Christmas Shocker. This book discusses the very situation that we discussed herein, which is how to make a difficult decision such as discussed above in a very short period of time.

To read more about Mom’s Christmas Shocker click on this link to go to the page where this book is discussed in greater detail.

Were YOU Shocked During a Recent Visit?

Were you shocked over the Holidays when you visited your parent and realized things are worse than you thought? You have your own life, work and responsibilities. What will you do? Let our eBook help you with your “speed planning”.

We’ve been there & we understand.

That’s why we wrote a book to help you make the best decisions for your parent as quickly as possible.

We want to be friends!

Ok. That might come off a little fast, but you can trust us. We want to help! We fully understand the stress and turmoil that you are facing as Family Caregiver – including personal experiences with burnout.

In our time as caregivers, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge that we desire to pass on. We understand the emotions involved while making necessary decisions. Likewise, we have met many professional caregivers, as well as other family members who were thrust as Family Caregiver. All caregivers have shared the same advice – Join a community! There is nothing more cleansing for our situation than knowing that we are not alone!

We have since created Caregiver Connection. Caregiver Connection is a newsletter that we write personally and send to fellow Caregivers. It is full of tips, tricks, direction and even professional advice. If you would like to sign up, click the button below.

Please Invite Someone to Our Newsletter

Being an Adult Kid who is helping mom as she is declining can be a scary, frustrating and lonely place lacking stability. You feel like you are solely responsible for solving Mom’s problems while managing yours. Some occasional input and a community you can trust would help, especially when facing burnout! This is a way that all of us can be working together as caregivers!

Many others that you may personally know are having to figure it all out by themselves. Most of them have no community. Please take a minute and do them a favor. Copy this link ~> help.mom/cc <~ and send it to them in an email or private message. They can click on it and subscribe to our newsletter for free.

Then they can enjoy weekly tips and encouragement. They no longer have to feel so alone in their family caregiver journey. They will appreciate the favor! Thank you for thinking of them!

Disclaimer

Nothing herein is intended to be legal advice. These are just things that we have seen various families try when struggling with this difficult issue. Each situation is unique and requires specific professional assistance to resolve. Please contact your local medical or legal advisors to seek assistance in appropriately resolving this issue for your family.

Thank You for being a Caregiver for Your Loved One – you are making a huge difference in their life!