How To Better Support Yourself and Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s

Supporting and caring for a person with Alzheimer’s can be positive and rewarding, but it also comes with unique challenges. Guilty feelings, anger, and stress are emotions that children of parents with dementia and caretakers of seniors with Alzheimer’s often experience. MorningStar of Littleton, Co specializes in Alzheimer’s care as well as senior living and offers advice on how you can make sure you're taking care of yourself, as well as the person you're supporting. Here are some situations in which someone might experience guilt when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, along with some advice on managing your feelings to better support your loved one.

Adult children often feel guilt over how they behaved when they were younger towards their parent before they were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Petty arguments and growing pains are common in every family. It can be hard to accept an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, especially in strained relationships. However, you didn't know your parent or loved one would experience this disease. Instead of ruminating on what you should have done differently before, try to remain present for the person you are now supporting and acknowledge what you are able to do for them now.

It is OK to want alone time. It is normal to feel guilty about taking time to yourself as you may be sad about the fact that your parent or loved one cannot experience these things with you anymore. However, taking some time away from the person struggling with memory loss can be beneficial for the both of you. Finding time for yourself allows you to decompress and recharge while your loved one can soothe and have space as well. Navigating communication with an elder struggling with memory loss can be frustrating and difficult. Taking some time to get fresh air can help keep you calm and redirect attention away from arguments, frustration, or anger.

Looking after a person with Alzheimer’s can be exhausting but carers often feel shame about seeking out help from others. Deciding to move your loved one into a senior living facility who is struggling with Alzheimer’s may feel like betrayal at first. However, this decision is an act of love, selflessness, and self-realization that perhaps there are others that may be better equipped to care for the person you love. Often these people or facilities have studied and specialized in memory loss or Alzheimer’s care and could bring beneficial joy to both you and your loved one.

If your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, please contact MorningStar of Littleton to learn more about our Alzheimer’s care or senior living in Littleton, Co. Unlike many memory care communities, our home was designed to promote independence and to give residents the freedom to safely explore their spacious surroundings. Our staff are trained to give loving, experienced care from the onset of the disease to its advanced stages.

MorningStar of Littleton proudly provides the very best in assisted living and memory care with our unique mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors, and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting. Please contact us for more information about one of the finest retirement homes Littleton, Colorado has to offer.