Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of a group of brain diseases.
Assuming a senior loved one (of yours) has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you would have certainly witnessed the impact it has had on each family member. Families may react differently to the initial news that their loved one has been diagnosed with such a severe disease and each person in the family may require a different amount of time to fully acclimate.
Family dynamics play a fundamental role in the provision of informal caregiving benefits.
People with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia are usually cared for by family members or friends.
What impact does Alzheimer’s Diagnosis have on Family Relationships?
Older Children
Older children of parents having Alzheimer’s will understandably have difficulties when adjusting to the diagnosis, like the stress that comes along with the role reversal. This means they must take on their parent’s responsibilities, which can lead to feelings that range from denial to guilt.
The response of adult children depends, in part, on what the relationship was like before the diagnosis. These adult children may have a particularly tough time accepting the fact that they can no longer lean on their parents; to take it a step further, they must now become the parent. It’s a lot to digest…
Spouses
The spouse with the disease will likely have intense feelings in reaction to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The news may impact many different aspects of a couple’s life, undergoing a deep sense of loss of plans. This can trigger depression and sadness.
As time goes by, the disease will force spouses to accept that their loved one has changed. To be able to cope with the enormity of the disease and changes in a spouse’s life, it’s vital that the spouse seeks help and support early on.
Young Family Members
Young members who have a grandparent or a parent who received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis also need help and support. They need someone to listen to their concerns and answer their questions about the disease. Often, children and teenagers feel a wide range of emotions and are dealing with anger, fear, or sadness as well.
Helping Younger Family Members
Family members and friends can help the younger members of the family by:
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- Connecting them with a peer support group of young people
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- Encouraging them to talk about their feelings
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- Guiding them with some fun activities they can do with their loved one with Alzheimer’s like listening to old music etc.
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- Providing educational websites to help them learn about the disease
Families Working Together –
Working together as a family is the optimal scenario when dealing with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Getting together for regular family meetings on an ongoing basis helps each person to have an opportunity to communicate what’s going on. Sharing ideas on handling solutions and discussing what works and what doesn’t work is an ideal way to structure the dialogue during family meetings.
Family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease are the most important support in concrete personal and economic terms.
On the contrary —sometimes the family member with Alzheimer’s becomes the family’s center of attention since the energy is entirely focused on the affected individual. This leads to other family members, including spouses or children, feeling neglected. They may become resentful because they feel they are not getting the attention they need.
The demands of caregiving can limit a caregiver’s ability to take care of themselves. Family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias are at greater risk for anxiety, depression, and poorer quality of life than caregivers of people with other conditions.
Because of the changes that Alzheimer’s disease causes, priorities will shift from everyday activities and move to your loved one’s care.
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