Being a family caregiver to a parent with Alzheimer's is exhausting. When you're with your parent, you're constantly on your toes. Your mom or dad may not sit still for more than a few minutes. You're being asked the same question over and over, day after day. Getting your parent to appointments on time is challenging, and it's just as tough getting someone to eat when they suddenly decide they hate that food.
There are five books you can find in bookstores or in online libraries that are a tremendous help. If you have a local Alzheimer's Association, they also have books you can borrow. Look at these five books for guidance, tips, or just reassurance that you are not alone.
The 36-Hour Day
The 36-Hour Day covers everything you need to know about Alzheimer's. The book delves into the disease itself. From there, you'll get tips on handling the many issues you'll face including meals, daily care, and keeping your parent safe. It also covers legal matters you can face, finding help with caregiving, and handling delusions, suspicion, and anger. If you have to move your mom or dad, the book offers advice on that, too. It's been a recommended book for decades and is updated regularly.
Coach Broyles' Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers
Coach Broyle was a football coach for the University of Arkansas. When his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he created the playbook to help others with all aspects of care. It does an easy-to-understand breakdown of the stages, things you'll experience, and best ways to handle care in each stage.
Creating Moments of Joy
Creating Moments of Joy is a bestselling book that goes beyond Alzheimer's care. The author shows you how to get by the frustrations and strain the disease causes and focus on making every moment with your parent a happy one.
A Dignified Life: The Best Friend's Approach to Alzheimer's Care – A Guide for Family Caregivers
In A Dignified Life, the different sections of the book cover things like the symptoms and reason for those symptoms. It also looks at forming a friendship with your mom or dad, rather than taking on the role of caregiver. By forming a friendship first, caregiving should be easier to handle. It also reinforces something that many family caregivers forget – you cannot do it all, so you need to seek out support from others and home care services.
Learning to Speak Alzheimer's
Author Joanne Koenig Coste's book looks at Alzheimer's disease as a whole and the benefit to focusing on strong communications with your parent. Designed to improve the well-being of both your parent and yourself, the book spends time discussing how to communicate with your parent in their world and using that to make care easier and more enjoyable.
Make sure you take breaks. The support of other caregivers is essential. Most importantly, consider home care to provide both respite for you, and the care and assistance your senior loved one needs as their disease progresses. Home care is an invaluable resource in your senior parent's journey.
If you or an aging loved one are considering homecare in Lansing, MI, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Lansing. Call today: 517-332-9953.