Submitted by the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. Throughout the month, the Alzheimer’s Association recognizes the 588,000 people in Illinois who are currently providing unpaid care to a person living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias is exceptionally demanding and especially challenging. The Alzheimer’s Association offers the ideas below to encourage people to lend a hand to a caregiver this month and year round.
Learn: Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease — its symptoms, its progression, and the common challenges facing caregivers. The more you know, the easier it will be to find ways to help. The Alzheimer’s Association has a vast amount of resources and information available at www.alz.org.
Give a break: Make a standing appointment to give the caregiver a break. Spend time with the person with dementia and allow the caregiver a chance to run errands, go to their own doctor’s appointment, participate in a support group, or engage in an activity that helps them recharge. Even one hour could make a big difference in providing the caregiver some relief.
Check in: Almost two out of every three caregivers said that feeling isolated or alone was a significant challenge in providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. What’s more, half of all caregivers felt like they couldn’t talk to anyone in social settings or work about what they were going through. So, start the conversation — a phone call to check in, sending a note, or stopping by for a visit can make a big difference in a caregiver’s day and help them feel supported.
Tackle the to-do list: Ask for a list of errands that need to be run — pick up groceries, dry cleaning, or even offer to shuttle kids to and from activities. It can be hard for a caregiver to find time to complete these simple tasks outside of the home that we often take for granted.
Be specific and be flexible: Open-ended offers of support (“call me if you need anything” or “let me know if I can help”) may be well-intended, but are often dismissed. Try making your offer of help or support more specific (“I’m going to the store, what do you need?” or “I have free time this weekend, let me stop over for a couple of hours so you can do what you need to do”). Don’t get frustrated if your offer of support is not immediately accepted. The family may need time to assess its needs. Continue to let the caregiver know that you are there and ready to help.
Help for the holidays: Holiday celebrations are often joyous occasions, but they can be challenging and stressful for families living with Alzheimer’s. Help caregivers around the holidays by offering to help with cooking, cleaning, or gift shopping. If a caregiver has traditionally hosted family celebrations, offer your home instead.
Join the fight: Honor a person living with the disease and their caregiver by joining the fight against Alzheimer’s. You can volunteer at your local Alzheimer’s Association office, participate in fundraising events such as the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and The Longest Day, advocate for more research funding, or sign up to participate in a clinical study as a healthy volunteer through the Alzheimer’s Association’s Trial Match. Joining the cause can help families facing the disease know that they are not alone in their fight.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. The Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter covers an 87-county area with offices in Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Bloomington, Peoria, Quincy, and Carbondale. For more information on programs and services, visit our Peoria Office at 612 W. Glen Ave. in Peoria, visit www.alz.org/illinois or call our 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.