Alzheimer's: On the rise

With longer lifespans, more of us will face this diagnosis

Alzheimer's Disease is a major issue looming before the United States health care system. This video from the Alzheimer's Association offers insights into what has become a serious problem as more and more families encounter this disease. Do you have a personal story to share about Alzheimer's? What advice or input can you offer for others? What do you think we as a society should do to prepare? Please post a comment or video.


	Alzheimer's Association video

	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6lA1P2tF0o

Topic Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, Caregiving

by Health Commentary

Comments

October 12, 2007

Caregiving to an Alzheimer's Family Member

Suggestions

Hello--I am pretty much a 24/7 caregiver to my mother living with Alzheimer's Disease. I have had to give up working full time to take care of her but I do work part time to have additional money coming in. While I am at my part time job, I have volunteer ladies coming into my home to look after my mother and take her out for shopping, lunch and errands. I have encountered many problems but along with those problems, I have suggestions: It is my understanding that for people who must quit working to provide caregiving to a loved one and are not yet receiving social security, the benefits are substantially reduced when they are eligible to apply. It seems to me that all caregivers are saving money for all local, state and Federal governments in the provision of their unpaid care. Social Security should take this into consideration. Additionally, Alzheimer's disease is a very slow growing illness and the majority of adult day programs are not suited for them. There is a need for a day program for higher functioning AD patients. It should be a combination of medical and non-medical programs so that their health insurance policies will cover the expense of a day program. The majority of long term care insurance policies are still mired in caveman days--why is it so difficult to communicate with these insurance companies and why don't they work more cooperatively with the caregiver as an accountable resource along with the doctor? These are my initial thoughts. Thank you.

by Laurie

October 15, 2007

Laurie's World

The Price of Doing the Right Thing

Thank you Laurie for providing a glimpse into your world. Having had a Dad with Alzheimer's and a mother-in-law with dementia, Trish and I have a good idea of what you are going through. But many others do not (until it happens to them). Your having to leave full time employment is one common side effect of doing the right thing. Informal family caregivers, mostly women age 40 to 65, carry the major burden, for those who work outside the home, 20% have to quit their jobs. Coordinating help, and finding those you think you can trust, and then monitoring their performance is another common burden. The financial burdens you allude to are very real. The impact of losses in your contribution formula to Social Security funds that will later protect you is a real concern. Somehow we need to protect you, and people like you, in the short and long term. Programmatics for the patients are an important issue as well. They help the caregiver get some respite and time for their own needs. My mother is a cautionary tale. While caring for my father, she ignored symtoms for 6 months. When she finally sought care, her ovarian cancer was too far gone. She died three years later, four years before my father. You're doing the right thing, Laurie, and you deserve our praise. But you deserve more than that. You deserve a system designed to help and protect you as your mother's caregiver. Most of all, protect your own health!

by mike magee

Syndication Options

I think we should have health care paid for

by the government for everyone. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but a socialized medical system like Canada has."

Hard for the insured, too

Keep health care private!

Work to stay healthy

Testing is important

Please keep it affordable

Everybody deserves a chance

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