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Hiring In-Home Alzheimer’s Care Help in Bradenton FloridaByMike Jones
Q. My spouse has Alzheimer’s and I am feeling overwhelmed. I am afraid to have strangers into the home to care for him, but I amgetting so tired. Where should I begin?Margaret S. - Bradenton FLThere are now more than five million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease, which is a 10 percent increase fromthe previous nationwide estimate. Many doctors feel that the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age. With 78 million baby boomers beginning to turn 60 last year, the elderly population in every state is continuing to grow faster than the total population.The US Census Bureau estimates that the growth in the 65-and-older population will be about 3½ times the growth of the nation as awhole. This trend indicates that by mid-century, the number of people with Alzheimer’s will grow to as many as 16 million, morethan the current total population of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston combined.For many families, Alzheimer’s care begins and ends at home. Caring for a loved one with the disease is an ongoing and challengingtask even for the most educated, patient, and able-bodied person. Alzheimer’s disease causes people to do things they normallywouldn’t do.
Caring for Alzheimer’s at Home
 Recent medical research confirms the stress associated with care giving can lead to a weakened immune system and in some casestake years off the caregiver’s life. Those risks increase when they have to manage care giving responsibilities while also working or raising a family.Care giving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s brings unique challenges. In some cases, a loved one can become violent; hitting thosethat are trying to care for them, acting irrationally or being speaking inappropriately. You must remember that they don’t know thatthey are not in control of their actions and you must learn techniques on how to redirect these behaviors.
 Nothing the patient does or  says should be taken personally
.Another major obstacle of providing Alzheimer’s care at home is that normal household items can become dangerous to those afflictedwith the disease. The house should be configured and made safe for people with the disease in the same way you would safe guardagainst a small child living the house. People with Alzheimer’s can cut themselves with kitchen knives, burn themselves on the stove,or they could simply wander outside without the right safeguards.Care giving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is a huge responsibility. There is a risk of emotional burnout and a decline in health for family caregivers whodo not make it a point to take much needed breaks. For many, finding time for themselves (respite care) is the best solution.
Basic Considerations When Hiring In-Home Alzheimer’s Care Help
Finding in-home Alzheimer’s assistance should be approached carefully. Tackling this need in an organized way is the key to makingin-home Alzheimer’s support feasible. The following tips may help your family and caregiver find the help needed.1.
 Identify Job Details
– Identify the specific functions you expect the help to perform to eliminate confusion. Details suchas dressing the client, bathing, and eating need to be addressed. Lay out your needs for grocery shopping, cooking,cleaning and laundry, as well as transportation. Also determine the client’s needs and abilities for socializing andcompanionship.2.
What Kind of Person Should You Look For?
– In Florida if your loved one needs personal hands on assistance to performtasks like bathing or toileting you need to use a home health aide. If they just need standby assistance for safety or verbalcueing you only need a companion level caregiver. In all cases, you would be best served by someone who has trainingin working with an Alzheimer’s patient. This is especially true if your loved one is resistant to taking showers.Many families are surprised when outside caregivers are able to fit right in and able to bond with the client. If you work with a professional agency you can “Give up the guilt”, they will be fine without you being there every minute.It is estimated that someone in America develops Alzheimer’s every 72 seconds. Help is available for those caring for an individualwith the disease. For more information, contact your local Alzheimer’s Association chapter by visiting www.alz.org. Also you can
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