Living With Alzheimer's

Living With Alzheimer’s

Life with Alzheimer’s can make everyday tasks increasingly difficult. Accepting that there are things that are out of your control and having friends, family and resources available can provide more supportive environment as your loved one stages through Alzheimer’s. Those with Alzheimer’s, and their family/friends, may try and cover up difficulties to avoid embarrassment for themselves. Trying to cover up difficulties and ‘faking it’ can lead to a lot of errors and become a source of excess stress. Implementing consistency by setting daily goals, executing wellness routines, and having a strong network around you may help reduce stress and maximize independence to live a meaningful life.

Setting Realistic Goals

Take the time to set realistic goals and focus on what you’re able to do today. Some tasks may become too difficult for your loved one, even with a reminder. Take the time to:

1. Identify what you’re able to do and enlist family, friends or a care partner to help assume responsibilities. This will help to reduce stress and accomplish important tasks.

2. Prioritize tasks to determine if they are necessary.

3. Strategize and find a solution that works best for you to accomplish your end result.

goal setting
Credit: Alzheimer’s Association

Health and Wellness

In our previous article (Action Plan for Living With Alzheimer’s), putting together a care plan with family, friends, doctors and caretakers provides a network of supportive individuals committed to caring for you or your loved one. This should be one of the first steps that you take when planning for the future.

Creating a healthy lifestyle can assist your loved one in living well with Alzheimer’s for as long as possible. Maintain physical health by establishing a routine for diet and exercise, getting regular checkups, and monitoring any health changes. Research suggests that mild to moderate physical activity may help or slow a decline in thinking skills, reduce stress and symptoms of depression. Exercising both your body and mind are essential.

Mental stimulation, whether learning new information, reading and challenging yourself in a hobby, can increase your brain activity. While it’s not proven to deter symptoms/signs it’s beneficial for your physical health and mental well-being.

health and wellness
reading