Can You be a Caregiver
It can be difficult to take care of a loved on with Alzheimer’s if they live around the corner, but when they live across the country everything becomes more complicated.
The nearer you live to the person the more aware you become of their safety, nutrition and health concerns. Long-distance caregiving won’t be easy.
Even though I lived in the same city when my Mom’s memory began to fail and made bi-weekly visits to see her, I was largely uninformed about many circumstances of her day-to-day living.
We made many trips to the Emergency Room with Mom’s stomach cramps before I realized she wasn’t eating properly.
Mom hadn’t watched Television, used the microwave, nor made a phone call for several days before I realized she couldn’t differentiate between appliance remote controls and the hand-set to the telephone.
Mom had quit associating with her friends in the Adult community where she lived for several months before I was made aware.
Circumstances can change on a daily basis for people with Alzheimer’s. They may slide from one stage to another quickly. One day they may be able to understand day, date and time, and the next time you visit they don’t. Each person is different and there is no way to predict which, or how quickly cognitive abilities will be lost.
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The Alzheimer’s Answer Book and DementiaMore infoThe 36-Hour Day: A Family GuideMore info
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