Abstract
Families caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) soon discover that it is
unlike any other illness. Coping with a degenerative brain disease is much different
than dealing with a physical disability. AD is more disruptive to, and has greater
impact on, the family than other chronic diseases. AD caregiving carries with it a
high financial, social, and emotional price. Families must work toward effectively
coping with the disease, decreasing the harmful effects on the family, and keeping
family conflicts to a minimum. Support groups can provide families with much-needed
information on the disease, emotional and practical support, and an expressive or
advocacy outlet. Formal services can help relieve some of the burden of caring for
an AD patient. Family members must remember that there is no “right” way to care for
a person with AD, and each family must determine, with the help of the appropriate
professionals and services, how to best meet its own needs. Given the burdens of care,
however, even small interventions may translate into improvements in the quality of
life or confidence of the caregiver.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 16, 2004
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
