Alzheimer’s Disease – A Definition
Alzheimer’s is a very common dementia type of brain disease. Unfortunately, 60 to 80% of people who suffer from dementia have Alzheimer’s. There are other types of dementia and they include frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, Lewy bodies dementia, mixed, etc.
Alzheimer’s is quite similar to other types of dementia since they don’t have any cure and they worsen over time. In the United States alone, there are approximately 6 million persons who have this disease. Alzheimer’s actually kills brain cells which leads to issues with thinking, overall memory, and conduct. These issues can be so severe that they negatively impact day-to-day life, hobbies, social interactions, work, and more. Over time, everyday activities become difficult or even impossible. Alzheimer’s is the 6th highest cause of death in America. It ranks 5th for those who are 65+ years old.
How To Do Caregiving For Someone With Alzheimer’s Or Other Type Of Dementia
People who have some type of dementia or Alzheimer’s are typically cared for by close family members or even friends. Around 80% of persons with Alzheimer’s usually receive this care in the comfort of their own homes. On a year to year basis, 17 billion hours of care (non-paid) are provided to sufferers of this disease and other types of dementia by 16 million Americans. Approximately 18.5 billion hours of care were provided by caregivers in 2019. The vast majority of these caregivers are females (two thirds). About 34% of these caregivers are also over 65 years old. A quarter of the caregivers are what is known as sandwich generation caregivers. This means that they are not only taking care of an elderly parent who has dementia or Alzheimer’s but also for kids that are under 18 years old.
Alzheimer’s caregivers usually spend a much longer time taking care of persons with this condition in comparison to caregivers of persons suffering from other issues. This care is extended to over 4 years in 57% of the cases. About 63% of these caregivers believe that they will need to continue to provide caregiving services over the next 5 years in comparison to caregivers who don’t treat people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Caregiving activities are very time and energy-consuming. As a result, most caregivers are not able to properly care for themselves. Caregivers who are family members of the persons with Alzheimer’s and dementia typically have a much higher risk of developing depression, anxiety and even experiencing a worse quality of life in comparison to caregivers of persons with other medical issues.
Hire Assisting Hands
If you need help caregiving for a friend, family member, or another person with Alzheimer’s or dementia, then we provide these services.
Our company utilizes a team that includes doctors, family, social workers, nurses, therapists, etc. so that we can properly care for your loved one.
Visit our blog for more exciting articles about caregiving in Houston. Call us or contact Assisting Hands Houston today with any questions you might have!
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