Getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be a shock, both for the patient and for their caregiver. Respond by taking time to build a foundation of support for your loved one and yourself that will help you during the coming months and years, no matter where this difficult illness leads.

Una parte esencial de ser cuidador es cuidar de uno mismo. Tienes que sacar tiempo para cuidar de ti mismo, sin importar cuánto o poco tiempo tengas. Aquí hay algunas ideas.

An essential part of being a caregiver is caring for yourself. You have to make time to tend to yourself, no matter how much or little time you may have. Here are some ideas.

As a caregiver, it is essential that you remain committed to your personal boundaries, making sure that you give yourself time and space to address your personal needs for rest, relaxation, and fulfillment. This foundation for positive self-care is vital in improving your well-being. Here’s how to do it.

As caregivers, it is especially important not to suppress our feelings. The caregiving journey can be filled with sadness, frustration, and grief. Shedding tears is a natural and healthy response to those emotions. Tears benefit people in numerous ways, including helping to detoxify the body. Find out more about the importance of tears.

During the holiday season it is crucial for caregivers to make time to take care of themselves. Here is some guidance for your self-care during the holidays, and a link to a worksheet that can help you organize your thoughts and plan.

During the busy and sometimes stressful holiday season, it is crucial for caregivers to make time to take care of themselves. Here is a workbook to help you think through and plan your self-care during the holidays.

Caregiving for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and it comes with a risk of what is known as “Caregiver Burnout.” With caregiver burnout, you are in a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that may also be coupled with a change in your attitude towards your caregiving role, from one of positive, caring, and rewarding to one of feeling negative, unconcerned, and resentful.

It is common for family caregivers helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease to feel a profound sense of grief for all that is lost to this disease. Loss of interest in activities we previously found rewarding and enjoyable are lessened or no longer enjoyable. This is often seen in depression but can also be attributed to a profound loss. Here’s how to cope.

Sundowning is a state of increased agitation, activity and negative behaviors which happen late in the day through the evening hours. When sundowning, the person may become demanding, suspicious, upset, or disoriented, see or hear things that are not there, and believe things that are not true. They may pace or wander around the house while others are sleeping. Here are some tips for potentially reducing the occurrence of sundowning and softening its effects when it does happen.

For caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD), clinging and shadowing behaviors happen more often than not over the course of a day. Being followed everywhere and being repeatedly interrupted when trying to complete a task is a common source of frustration for many caregivers of loved ones with ADRD.

No matter what illness you and your loved one are facing, planning ahead can increase your knowledge and understanding, and will often allow for a wider range of care options and provide an overall peace of mind for everyone.

There is a lot we can all learn from each other as we endure our individual journeys as caregivers. There are some needs and feelings that are universal and learning how others manage and navigate can often be hugely comforting.

The challenge that family caregivers face is to learn acceptance, to live in the present moment, and to let go of things you cannot control. This is a challenge to be sure, but if there can be any joy in caregiving, this is where it is.

It would seem to be a given that many caregivers would be "depressed,” given all the challenges they are facing. But it is critical to separate the expected sadness from the effects of Alzheimer's disease and the emotionally and physically debilitating illness that "Major Depression" is in its worst form.

It’s important to understand that anxiety is triggered by physical reactions to stress signals the body receives. Here’s how to reduce these effects.

The quality of an individual’s sleep is strongly connected to their overall physical, cognitive, and emotional health, and lack of sleep is a leading complaint of caregivers. Here are some tips on how to get some quality sleep.

New to caregiving? Here are some basic caregiving tips in 6 essential categories.

Over the last 20 years, extensive research, at Harvard and other prestigious universities, has shown that only 20 minutes of daily meditation has dramatic effects on physical health.

This pandemic is requiring all of us to find a “new normal” way to do everything. Your loved one living in an Assisted Living Facility is facing that reality in a dramatic way. Mealtime is different, the activities are limited, and visitors are not allowed. It is vital to their well being and yours that you carefully adjust to this new reality to ensure your loved one still feels comfortable and cared for. Here are 3 ways to help you on your way: