When a member of your family is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another kind of dementia, the impact on the rest of your family can be devastating. Anger, fear, frustration, and grief are among the feelings that might be triggered by the diagnosis. Treatment, care, living arrangements, money, and end-of-life care are all things to consider. As a result, family strife is not uncommon.
Your family’s history of connections, roles, and problems might influence how people react to a diagnosis and how family members view their duties in providing care and support. Below are some of the common ways family relationships are affected.
Spousal Relationships
The spouse of an Alzheimer’s patient is likely to have strong emotions in response to the diagnosis. The announcement may have an influence on many parts of a couple’s lives. Spouses frequently have a strong feeling of loss of future ambitions. This might lead to feelings of sorrow and depression. Changes in the way couples connect to one other, health difficulties, and a reversal of roles are some of the additional changes couples may encounter after a diagnosis.
However, among couples, the result of an early Alzheimer’s diagnosis is not necessarily so bleak. Some people claim that they are closer now than they were before the diagnosis since they are spending more time together. Of course, as the disease progresses, couples will be forced to recognize that their partner has changed. To cope with the severity of the disease and the resulting changes in a spouse’s life, it’s critical that the spouse gets treatment and support as soon as possible.
A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can bring couples closer together or separate them, depending on their relationship. Spouses must understand that the person they’ve known and loved may change significantly in personality and conduct and that their loved one may lose recognition at some point. It’s important to consider different care options when a spouse is diagnosed with dementia.
Parent/Child Relationships
Children of parents who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s may obviously have challenges in coping with the diagnosis, such as the stress that comes with the role reversal. This requires them to assume their parents’ obligations, which can result in a range of emotions, from denial to remorse.
Adult children’s reactions are influenced by the nature of the connection before the diagnosis. Was the adult kid more emotionally and/or financially reliant on the parent? These adult children may have an especially difficult time understanding that they can no longer rely on their parents; in reality, they must now take on the role of parent. It’s a lot to take in.
Grandchildren
Adolescents and children are also affected. If a family member, such as a grandmother, is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the young person may feel sad, irritated, angry, or scared.
Younger members of the family should be encouraged to ask questions and express their views, which should be handled openly. They must realize that, even if their loved one behaves in an unusual manner, there are still things they can do with them, such as assisting with housework, listening to music, or reading a book.
Include your youngster in the care of his or her loved one. This can be accomplished through an activity such as a puzzle, a game, or taking a stroll together. Remind him that doing so is really beneficial to Alzheimer’s patients. Make sure to keep this time-limited so that your youngster may have his own time to be a kid.
Being the caretaker for a dependent loved one, especially one who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, can be stressful. As a caregiver, taking care of someone full-time has an impact on every part of your life, including your own health and well-being. Read about how dementia caregivers often experience burnout and how to prevent it.
Livewell Estates provides specialised dementia care to ease the burden on the family. Caregivers can live more balanced lives, exercise self-care, and minimize stress as a result of this.
Livewell is an example of an Alzheimer’s care alternative that may give specialized dementia care for your loved one while also considering you. We offer Alzheimer’s and dementia care specialists on staff that can help your loved one live in a secure and pleasant environment. Taking care of a loved one on your own might be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. There are Alzheimer’s care choices available; it’s up to you to take the next step in providing your spouse with the assistance they require. Placing a loved one in a specialised facility like Livewell is a good option to ensure you and your loved one have the best possible quality of life.