Mother’s Day Changes
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Long Island, NY – The greatest gift you can give Mom this Mother’s Day may not be flowers, cards, or even jewelry. It is the gift of your attention and time in making note of cognitive or emotional changes that may be indicative of a memory disorder, or caregiver fatigue, and taking steps to provide needed care and support!
With women typically out-living men, women are disproportionately affected by conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, and also make up 60% of caregivers to people with Alzheimer’s disease. Your Mother’s Day celebration can be an opportunity to recognize changes in your mom and intervene to improve her quality of life.
Signs that your mother may be experiencing cognitive decline include:
- She has difficulty completing tasks that were once routine, such as preparing a meal or calculating the tip on a restaurant bill.
- She has become uncharacteristically withdrawn and/or dependent upon another person, such as a spouse, for social cues.
- You find unpaid bills, past due notices, or other signs that she is having difficulty managing finances.
- She seems uncharacteristically confused or forgetful.
- Friends and/or other relatives express concern about her memory, thinking, or judgment.
“Our rule of thumb is ‘When in doubt, check it out,’” states Alana Rosenstein, LMSW, Director of Early-Stage Programs at the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation. “Too often people do not seek out the medical help that they need because they may be afraid of what they will hear.”
Those concerned about someone with memory loss or other cognitive decline can contact the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation at (516) 767-6856, for information, guidance, and referrals to appropriate resources.
If your mother is caregiver to a person with Alzheimer’s disease or a related condition, Mother’s Day can provide an opening to explore how she is coping with the stresses of the caregiver role. Caregiver stress can affect not only mood, but also the caregiver’s physical well being.
Take the opportunity to offer both emotional support, as well as concrete assistance. A caregiver may appreciate the “gift” of time off from the stresses of caregiving. Consider offering to stay with the person with dementia while the caregiver enjoys lunch with a friend, or a day at the movies. Offer to pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy, buy groceries, or assist with paperwork.
“Caregivers need to know that they are not alone in their caregiver role,” states Tori Cohen, Support Group Facilitator at the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation. “Family support can alleviate the feelings of isolation that many caregivers experience. Adult children can empower the caregiver by providing support, assistance, and resources, thereby reducing caregiver stress and enhancing care of the person with dementia.”
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The Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation can help by providing specialized caregiver support groups, as well as helping families strategize how best to help a loved one living with dementia. In addition, LIAF can provide in-home respite through its Alzheimer’s Companions program in Nassau County. A trained respite provider offers two-hours of stimulating and engaging activity to the client at home, while the caregiver enjoys time away.
LIAF’s early-stage program includes cognitive training classes, creative arts activities, mentally stimulating trivia, brain teasers, and word games, guest lectures, and support group sessions. Its adult day program caters to the needs of clients with moderate-stage dementia, and features musical activities, crafts, guest presentations, and mental and social stimulation. Both programs give caregivers much-needed time off from the day-to-day challenges of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
LIAF is also pleased to offer caregiver support groups for spousal caregivers and adult children caregivers at its headquarters in Port Washington, as well as off-site in Melville.
For more information, please call LIAF at (516) 767-6856.
Source:
Long Island Alzheimer's Foundation
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