A wholly new perspective to your caregiving universe!
Dear Caregivers,
I hope your new year is off to a great start. Humanity’s year is off to a great start too this year as the amazing new James Webb telescope, which launched into space on Christmas day, arrives at its final destination in orbit around the sun this week. With viewing capabilities 100 times more powerful than its predecessor, the Hubble telescope, the James Webb telescope is bound to give the human race a new perspective on the universe — and our place in it.
And that is our goal at NAN for Caregivers, too: We want to give you the tools and information you need to bring a wholly new perspective to your caregiving universe — to your loved one, your family and to yourself!
A new perspective on the disease:
Start with a better understanding of how Alzheimer's affects the brain and its ability to function. While it is highly variable, the most common area impacted is the hippocampus which plays a big role in processing short-term memory. Less well-known is the fact Alzheimer's affects the centers of emotional control and can lead to depression, apathy, anxiety, fear, and agitation. Click here to read an article about this on the NAN website. You may gain a better perspective on your loved one’s moods and behavior.
A new perspective on treatments:
Earlier this month medicare officials announced that federal health insurance would restrict its coverage of the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm to patients who are participating in clinical trials. (For those involved in clinical trials, please talk to your study coordinator if you have questions about how this decision may impact your study.) Click here to read the NAN website's overview article about all the options for Alzheimer’s treatment. Click here to read an article in the New York Times about the Aduhelm decision, and click here to read a Florida News-Times article on why finding a cure for Alzheimer’s is so difficult.
A new perspective on your role as caregiver:
There is a Buddhist practice of calling those who care for others “warriors of compassion” — that is, caregivers such as yourself are not fighting against the illness but fighting for the loved one’s comfort. As challenging as the task may be, caregivers can find joy in their experience if they learn acceptance, live in the moment, and accept what they cannot control. Click here to read more on the NAN website about Finding the Joy as a Family Caregiver.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
"The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else."
― Carson McCullers
