Caring for Someone With Alzheimer’s During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone, but for some, the last few months have held more challenges and worry than for others. If you’ve been caring for or supporting someone with Alzheimer’s Disease, it has likely been an extremely difficult time.
In this month’s news, we’re sharing some timely resources for those in a caregiver role to someone with Alzheimer’s or other illness. We hope that they provide you with some practical tips on managing during the upheaval and uncertainty of COVID-19.
Coronavirus (COVID-10): Tips for Dementia Caregivers
The Alzheimer’s Association has a comprehensive set of tips on how caregivers can support a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia during this unprecedented time, with a focus on also keeping them safe. This guide includes ways to support a loved one who is at home, receiving at-home services, or living in a long-term care or other residential care facility.
Caregivers Should Use Their Pandemic Guilt as a Force to Drive Effectiveness by clinical psychologist Barry Jacobs
Guilt is a common emotion for caregivers, and this article provides some different ways of thinking about guilt and ideas for how to accept feelings of guilt and use them to your advantage.
It’s a Worrisome Time for Caregiving by Kathleen Connell, AARP Rhode Island
Another good article shares more wisdom from Barry Jacobs on how to “worry productively”. In this article you’ll learn three key strategies to transform all-consuming worry into useful actions that will help you feel better and determine what actions will make a difference.
Caregiving in a Time of Coronavirus by the Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
This guide contains some really helpful and practical ideas for adapting to this “new normal” and special considerations for yourself, such as being mindful of your potential sense of isolation as a caregiver.
Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s During the COVID-19 Outbreak: 5 Tips by Cathy Cassata
As a caregiver, you had a lot on your plate even before the pandemic. This article has a section on planning for gaps in caregiving in the event that programs or facilities you depend on must close–or if you yourself should become ill. These are tough things to think about, but less challenging to do before there is a problem you have no choice but to respond to.
COVID-19: Caregiver Mental Health and Well-Being by the the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Around the world, people have been celebrating the heroic efforts of front-line healthcare workers during the pandemic. But what can we do to support the everyday heroes who care for vulnerable family members day in, day out and under incredibly difficult circumstances. This 1-hour video looks at the big picture of caregivers in society and the importance of recognizing and responding to their mental health needs.
Whatever your caregiving role, please remember that you need care and support too. This article by John Schall of the Caregiver Action Network describes some of the tools and resources to protect your own wellness.