Caregivers are you Nourishing your Mind, Body & Spirit?

Taking care of an aging parent, spouse or relative can be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually exhausting. Often time’s caregiving comes without a warning; most caregivers are thrown reluctantly into that role. In turn, caregivers often operate in "crisis mode," juggling numerous responsibilities--from scheduling medical appointments to preparing meals to even leaving their own families to provide care. There is no magic formula for becoming a caregiver. Each experience is unpredictable, ever changing and unique. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias? Some quick facts and figures from the Alzheimer’s Association:

• Currently there are 5.4 millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease

• In Walworth County there are over 2000 persons living with A/D or related dementias

• There are more than 15 million caregivers of people with A/D and related dementias

• In 2012, Caregivers provided over 17 billion hours of unpaid care valued at more than

• $216 Billion

• Out of pocket expenses for long-distance caregivers are nearly twice as much as local

• caregivers

• In 2013, A/D will cost the nation $203 billion. This number is expected to rise to 1.2

• trillion by 2050

• Someone develops Alzheimer’s every 68 seconds

• Some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or neurological changes in the brain: Confusion

• with time or place, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, new problems with

• word finding, speaking or writing.

• If you notice:

• Challenges in planning or solving problems

• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

• Decreased or poor judgment

• Withdrawal from work or social activities

• Change in mood and personality

See your doctor, psychiatrist, neurologist, psychologists or physician who has training in memory care