Things Caregivers Should Know About Alzheimer’s Risks

Stepping in to not just support a loved one emotionally, but in offering direct assistance in their daily lives when illness becomes a factor, is giving care. Such caregivers shoulder a wide variety of burdens, and often go unsung by those who stand by the situation. When the illness is a cognitive disease, such as Alzheimer’s, it becomes particularly true that often even the very person they’re caring for might not recognize or appreciate the help.

Caring for someone in cognitive decline is more than dealing with obviously messy or physically uncomfortable situations, such as assisting with bathroom or other private matters. Alzheimer’s patients often undergo personality or behavioral shifts. They lose some or all of their ability to safeguard themselves from routine situations such as those that might involve a street, stairwells, or even basic cooking or shaving.

It is entirely common for long term caregivers to begin to suffer emotional and mental effects. Beyond the mere stress and demands of the giving of care, serious effects such as depression, clinical anxiety, and other mental disorders have been diagnosed by psychologists who work with caregivers. And there can even be physical impacts, as the physiological stress runs down their bodies, impacting the immune system and making them more susceptible to infirmity.

Are you experiencing Caregiver Stress?
Are you having trouble falling asleep?
Are you feeling isolated?
Are you angry, sad or experiencing feelings of despair?
How is your appetite?
Are you using drugs or alcohol to cope with your stress?

Giving care is an expression of love, but caregivers should not forget to also care for themselves as well.

Caregiver Tips:

  • 1Socialize outside of your caregiver role.
  • 2Ask for help. Get friends, family or consider an adult day center to give you a break. Find a support group.
  • 3Make sure you exercise, eat healthy and get adequate rest.


One study found that caregivers had a 6.3% higher rate of anxiety and depression, as compared to non-caregivers with a 4.3% incidence of emotional disorders. Other types of mental illness were also noted in caregivers at a rate of 17.4% (compared to 10.9% in non-caregivers).
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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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