The impact of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease not only affects the person diagnosed, but also involves the entire family environment, which assumes, in 80% of cases, the care of the diagnosed person, and faces situations that very often generate insecurities and fears. For this reason, and with the aim of offering support and guidance to families who find themselves in this situation, the Pasqual Maragall Foundation With the support of the Barcelona Provincial Council, has developed a Guide for people caring for a family member with Alzheimer's. The diagnosis of this disease not only means a disruption in the life plan of the affected person, but also in that of those close to them. For this reason, this guide addresses multiple aspects related to the care of a person with Alzheimer's, from understanding their symptoms, the grieving process in the face of losses, to managing daily changes and planning for the future in terms of legal tools for the protection of people who suffer from the disease.
The document also emphasizes promoting awareness and the importance of self-care for caregivers, identifying indicators of overload and learning to cope with them, and better understanding the disease and the reactions of the person with Alzheimer's in order to improve the quality of care they provide.
«This guide becomes a tool for all families who care for a person with Alzheimer's because in a single document they find information of interest, as well as recommendations to empower themselves and decide on steps to follow while taking care of themselves. It is vital that caregivers can access resources that allow them to improve their well-being, while adapting to this progressive process of loss.", he comments Elena de Andrés, psychologist and therapist at the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
Families take on the care of the person with Alzheimer's
According to available data, in more than 80% of Alzheimer's cases, direct care falls on the family. The main caregiver dedicates an average of 15 hours a day, seven days a week, a figure that rose to 18 hours a day during confinement. This responsibility, often assumed voluntarily or involuntarily, involves facing doubts, uncertainties and fears about the future, as well as the constant insecurity about whether the best possible care is being provided.
In keeping with its commitment to the families of people with Alzheimer's, and as a result of the knowledge acquired in the search for the needs of caregivers, support programs and research on Alzheimer's, the Pasqual Maragall Foundation provides strategies and recommendations for the provision of quality care, with the aim of alleviating the emotions unleashed and promoting the well-being of both the person with Alzheimer's and those they care for.
Download here The Guide for People Caring for a Family Member with Alzheimer's
