Caring for the family member with Alzheimer's disease, how can we avoid being overwhelmed by the situation?
The union of a family is forever. Although it may be thought that at the moment in which a child becomes an adult this relationship ends, and in some cases it is so, in others the bond extends throughout life. In fact there are situations in which the role of caregiver changes and it is the child who ends up taking charge of their parents as a consequence of some serious health problem such as Alzheimer's.
A task that although it is done with great pleasure, can become saturated given the responsibility involved in caring for an elderly person in these circumstances. For this reason, entities such as Pasqual Maragall Foundation offer a series of tips for those in charge of the sick of Alzheimer's and avoid that the situation ends up saturating them.
The caregiver syndrome
As explained from this foundation in Spain 90% of Alzheimer's patients live with a family member, who becomes their primary caregiver. Those who take care of these patients dedicate some 15 hours daily to these labors. A time that is increasing as the advanced disease, all this dedication ends up making the individual's strengths weaken
This situation is referred to as caregiver overload syndrome or 'burned-out' caregiver syndrome. This concept refers to the state of exhaustion, both emotional and physical, experienced by people who spend a large part of their time caring for a dependent person. To this we must add the emotional aggravation of feeling how the person with Alzheimer's goes off.
The main symptoms of the caregiver overload syndrome are:
- Persistent tiredness
- Sleeping problems
- Decrease or abandonment of hobbies
- Disinterest in living new experiences
- High irritability
- Pain or discomfort without having any apparent health problem
- Social isolation
- High levels of anxiety or stress
Facing burned caregiver syndrome
The specialists of this foundation recommend to those who decide to take care of their family member with Alzheimer's who first of all know the disease thoroughly. For this, nothing better than talking to specialists who treat the affected person to know what awaits them ahead. It is also essential to find support from both the family members themselves and others in this situation.
In fact, the Support groups They position themselves as one of the best tools to deal with the illness of a relative and take charge of them. These are some of its benefits:
- They allow to know well the disease and its evolution, through the experiences of others, and accept the reality of every moment
- Understand the symptoms and behavioral changes they generate in the affected
- Learn how to communicate with the sick
- Know how to find spaces for oneself and to take care of the rest of the family
- They offer a space where you can relax and take care of your own physical and mental health
- Share experiences and emotions with other caregivers
Damián Montero
