June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. It is an ideal time to pause and reflect on the millions of Americans who are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and the individuals who are caring for them. It is also a time for caregivers, friends and families to show their support and get involved in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Why? Because, today, Alzheimer’s affects 47.5 million people worldwide – with 7.7 million new cases diagnosed every year. It is the fifth-leading cause of death for those over 65.
Today, respite care offers busy and often overstressed family caregivers the opportunity to relax, decompress and re-energize while their loved ones receive professional care. Respite care also provides an ideal caregiving solution for loved ones when caregivers need to be away for business or vacation.
We’ve always known that a good night’s sleep is good for our physical and emotional health. Getting enough “zzzzz”s makes us feel refreshed, alert and ready for the day.
“Recent research studies also suggest that there is a dangerous downside to not getting sufficient sleep,” says Susan Irrgang, RN, LNHA, Executive Director at Saunders House in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
“At-home caregivers of those living with memory loss face multiple challenges, which typically increase as the disease progresses,” says Susan Irrgang, Executive Director of Saunders House located in Wynnewood, PA. “Among the most difficult are psychological symptoms such as delusions and paranoia that often appear during the middle and later stages of memory loss.
“After a long, cold winter, many of us view the warm sunny days of late spring and summer to be a welcome blessing,” says Susan Irrgang, Executive Director of Saunders House, located in Wynnewood, PA. “However, if you have a loved one at home with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia for whom you’re providing memory care, it is important to know that summer can also bring additional challenges to their safety and health.
