A Caregiver's Training Manual for the Elderly

As a caregiver for a loved one who has recently been diagnosed with Dementia of the Alzheimer's type, you want to do everything you can to keep your life as well as their life as normal and as meaningful as possible for as long as possible.  Every hour of every day counts, therefore, it is important to make every small thing they do, such as routine movements and behavior, as enjoyable and as fulfilling as you can for you both.

To begin with, as a caregiver, you will need to learn as much as you can about the disease of Alzheimer's with which you are dealing, the journey the course will likely take you down a road with which you are unfamiliar.  You will learn more about how medications may or may not delay the symptoms and what you can do as a caregiver to be prepared as his/her disease progresses.  Knowing what to expect from a loved one with this disease will help you cope with his/her behavior.

For example, part of what you will be doing as a caregiver will come naturally.  This is especially true if you have been good at parenting.  However, above all you will have to learn to adapt as your loved one's capabilities and behaviors change over time.

As a caregiver, caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease could very well be the challenge of your life.  And how long you talk to, stimulate, and care for your loved one, will most likely be the most important treatment that they will receive.  It is also a key to preserving their independence and dignity.  As a caregiver, your efforts will most likely take up most of your time.  Therefore, it is important to make the most of your interactions spent together.

You may find that the experience of caregiving effects you in positive ways that you never anticipated.  For example, you may discover that you are stronger than you thought.  And that caring for someone you love, in most cases, can bring you great satisfaction.

A loved one with Alzheimer's Disease, as they progress through the various stages, require more and more personal care.  They do so because they lose their basic skills in activities of daily living, such as toileting, grooming, dressing, dining and behavior.  To help with your loved one's personal care, first, see what is needed and then be tactful in meeting the skills in which he/she has lost.

This book addresses those skills that individuals with Dementia lose as the disease progresses.  Teaching examples of how to help the loved one learn, unlearn, relearn, or at least maintain his/her skills at their present level and improve their quality of life is stressed.