Most of the 4.5 million Americans who have Alzheimer's live at home, where most of their care is given by family and friends. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects not only a person's memory but also their ability to learn and do daily tasks. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's can be both emotionally and physically difficult. As memory loss and other symptoms get worse, caregivers and family spend more time and energy taking care of their loved one.
The Memories to Treasure programme helps people who care for a loved one with Alzheimer's connect with their loved one through the art of scrapbooking while giving them tips on how to care for someone with Alzheimer's.
"Caregivers of people with Alzheimer's have special needs," says Gail Hunt, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. "Memories to Treasure has resources to help make it easier for people to talk to their loved ones." "Doing meaningful things together, like making scrapbooks, makes time spent together more positive and can help everyone."
People with mild Alzheimer's disease often have trouble with their short-term memories, but they may be able to remember things from a long time ago. When you look at old photos and keepsakes, you might talk about people and things that happened in the past, which can be fun for everyone.
Benjamin Seltzer, M.D., director of the Alzheimer's Disease & Memory Disorders Center at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, says that activities like scrapbooking can help families dealing with Alzheimer's disease. "Caring for a loved one doesn't just mean doing fun things with them. It's also important to know that there are treatments that can help slow down the effects of the disease."
You can find Memories to Treasure at www.memories totreasure.com. The website has tips on how to care for someone, information about Alzheimer's disease, and a Memory Checklist to help you talk to a doctor. There are also instructions on how to make a scrapbook with a loved one who has Alzheimer's.
Keep these tips in mind to help you give the best care possible to someone with Alzheimer's:
Your loved one may get upset while bathing, getting dressed, or eating. During these times, try to be calm and reassuring.
Keep your loved one in the loop. Plan an activity, like scrapbooking, for a time of day when your loved one seems to be at his or her best.
Take time for yourself and build a strong group of people who can help you. Tell your loved ones what you need and when you need it.
Find out as much as you can so you can decide how to care for and treat your loved one.
Eisai Inc. and Pfizer Inc., along with the National Alliance for Caregiving and Creating Keepsakes scrapbook magazine, work together to bring Memories to Treasure to people with Alzheimer's. Eisai and Pfizer have paid for Dr. Seltzer to be a part of Memories to Treasure.
