There’s no doubt that in modern day times, not having enough time is a real concern for many families, particularly those with loved ones that have Alzheimer’s disease. Carving out enough time to deal with the demands of a family caregiver can be a real challenge (particularly for those juggling the needs of young children as well as a senior adult family member with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
This article includes tips to help you and your family members effectively manage your busy schedule and make more time for the things that are really important-your family members.
There are certainly some seasons that are busier than others and with all of the back to school demands, autumn is no exception. If you have a hectic fall schedule, it’s important to try to get organized and perhaps create a weekly or even a monthly schedule to help allocate your time as needed. Be sure to include all of the activities planned for the month and keep it all on one calendar. Then go back and fill in all of the tasks and responsibilities you need to take care of as a family caregiver. If there are overlaps in time requirements, this is where you will need to enlist the help of friends, family members, and perhaps outside respite care resources, (such as Adult Day Centers). You may also consider hiring a professional caregiver service to help with fill in the gaps when extra time is needed for: companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and/or shopping.
Don’t forget to schedule time for yourself, as well as some fun family activities including your loved one with AD. Depending on the stage of his/her illness, you may consider taking your loved one to your son or daughter’s school or sporting activities. Keep in mind that individuals with AD can experience anxiety in response to large crowds of people and a high noise level.
Another way to create more quality family time is to dine out weekly with the entire family. See previous blog: Eating out with Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s disease by CLICKING HERE to learn tips on eating out with those with AD.
Depending on the stage of AD your loved one is experiencing and the age of your children, consider letting your kids visit their grandparents after school. You could even enlist the help of seniors in helping the kids with homework. If his/her level of functioning is high enough, many seniors can provide a wealth of information on history and other subjects. Getting involved in helping the grandkids with homework can help seniors to improve their memory while increasing socialization.
Learn more about AD for caregivers by CLICKING HERE to sign up for our 25 topic caregiver’s course at AlzU.org.
