Silver Inning NGO, India : "Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s? – Don’t forget to care for yourself too!" from Lisa W. Smith.

"“Alzheimer’s is not a sprint. It’s a marathon.” This was what the memory care center manager told us during our first care conference. It took a while for this to sink in fully. She was encouraging our family to find a balance between caring for our loved one who has Alzheimer’s and still maintaining a life for ourselves. A sprinter focuses on speed for a short distance but soon runs out of strength. Just as a marathon runner trains for endurance, an Alzheimer’s caregiver must approach this disease with the long run in mind.

When we first became responsible for an aunt with Alzheimer’s, our lives drastically changed. It often felt as if our lives were spinning out of control. There was little time for anything or anyone other than Aunt Betty. We finally realized that it would be impossible to continue at the same pace. If we failed to take care of ourselves, we might not be able to continue caring for her. Alzheimer’s can be a long, slow process. It is essential that Alzheimer’s caregivers take care of themselves, too."

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"Having traveled the road herself, Lisa W. Smith is an expert at helping Alzheimer’s caregivers cope with the emotional, financial, and legal stress of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. She has created an electrifying report, “An Alzheimer’s Horror Story: Killing Her Slowly!” which highlights part of this journey."

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read more at :

http://silverinnings.blogspot.com/2011/06/care-giver-tips-caring-for-someone-with.html

source : http://free-alzheimers-support.com/wordpress/2011/01/while-caring-for-alzheimers-dont-forget-to-care-for-yourself/