Link to Alzheimer's Society website for useful advice and information sheets
Link to the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly website - Advancing the health and wellbeing of older people
serving Westbury and the surrounding villages
Caring for a person with dementia often involves stress and places a heavy burden on the caregivers emotional, physical and social well being.
Some of the most common problems being:
 |
inability of the sufferer to be left alone |
|
|
disruption to the Carer’s personal life |
|
|
inability of the sufferer to hold a sociable conversation |
|
|
lack of self help skills such as dressing, feeding and bathing |
|
|
loss of sexual intimacy and emotional support from the sufferer |
|
|
continual questioning |
|
|
incontinence |
|
|
demands for attention |
Click here to link to Alzheimer's Society advice/fact sheets
Research has shown that dementia Carers suffer more stress than other Carers and that stress levels increase with the severity of the dementia.
Carers have described the various stages they go through:
1. Acute stage; where the role of Carer is new and the demands high. Support from relatives and friends is forthcoming but due to the adjustments needed, stress levels are high.
2. Indoctrination with reality stage; which is marked by feeling of anger, guilt, resentment and loneliness. Less help is available from family and friends and caring begins to affect their social and personal lives.
3. Acceptance stage; where the Carer accepts that their position won’t change unless they take charge. At this stage Carers may get external help in a bid to realise their own needs.
This highlights that Carers need different services at these stages. They may need information and advice at the first stage whereas counselling may be more appropriate to deal with the second stage and they may only request respite and day care in the acceptance stage.
If you would like to consider counselling please contact us