If you are a caregiver of a loved one newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), you may be wondering just what is in store for you as far as time commitment now and in the future. Staying informed and learning what to expect will help you and your family to plan ahead.
Many people with AD live a decade or more after diagnosis, so becoming a caregiver means a long-term commitment. As time goes on the demands of caregiving increase, according to a recent Alzheimer’s disease research program at the American Health Assistance Foundation, on average caregivers spend 14 hours per week and in the later stages of the disease, caregivers spend approximately 40 hours per week caring for their loved one with AD.
According to The Alzheimer’s Association approximately half of all caregivers work full or part time jobs while caring for their loved ones with AD. Statistics indicate that 66 percent of all caregivers who work say that taking care of their loved one with AD significantly affects their career.
Caregiving will affect all aspects of your life, from your finances to your family relationships and career. Most caregivers report that their kids and spouse are also involved in helping the caregiving process even if it’s just to help with yard work or to take out the trash or do some house cleaning chores each week. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Many kids learn a lot about responsibility and helping family members in need when there is a close family member with AD.
According to one study, the average financial loss is anywhere from $16K to $70K each year for caregivers (depending on whether or not lost wages are a consideration).
You will need to reach out and ask for help at some point of the disease. Enlisting the help of friends, neighbors or other family members as well as checking out options for respite care such as Adult Day Centers, will be necessary in the later stages of the disease.
Caregiving is not something most people can do without receiving some type of education about how to care for an individual with a debilitating disease such as AD. It’s important to reach out to other caregivers, professionals, and credible online sources such as AlzU.org to gather more Alzheimer’s disease information. Sign up for our 25 lesson course for caregivers today by CLICKING HERE.
