As we move through life many of us find ourselves needing to help a family member or friend with a medical condition. If the condition is temporary, our need to help is temporary. However, chronic conditions such as Alzheimer's and other dementias require longer-term, possibly ever-increasing assistance. Problems with thinking and memory lead to new, different, and often challenging behaviors. In addition, caring for someone with Alzheimer's often means helping them deal with other medical problems that are often difficult to recognize.
This book is a resource for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's or dementia who are also beginning to experience non-memory-related medical conditions. It addresses 54 medical conditions that caregivers often must deal with when providing care. Each medical condition is addressed in an easy-to-follow, two-page guide that provides basic facts about the medical condition, signs that indicate a possible emergency, tips on providing relief in the home, other related issues to watch out for, and safety tips for the caregiver.
Written by experts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, this book is based on the latest clinical knowledge and scientific research on Alzheimer's and the care of Alzheimer's and dementia patients. It includes basic facts about Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and practical guidance when conferring with doctors and nurses, when visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-living residences, and during the dying process. Also, an entire chapter is devoted to what caregivers need to do to take care of themselves while helping someone with Alzheimer's and related dementia.