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WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The stress of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can take a toll on loved ones.
It’s important for caregivers’ own health and well-being to reduce that stress, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America says.
“Finding ways to manage and reduce stress is of paramount importance for every Alzheimer’s caregiver — untreated stress over a prolonged period of time can lead to caregiver burnout and a host of other health issues,” said Jennifer Reeder, the foundation's director of educational and social services.
“Caregivers need to take care of themselves so they can provide the best possible care for their loved ones," Reeder added in a foundation news release.
April is National Stress Awareness Month, and it "is a great time for caregivers to be proactive about managing and reducing their stress and make an investment in self-care that will benefit them and their loved one for whom they are caring,” she advised.
Here, the foundation suggests six steps that may help:
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more on Alzheimer’s disease.
SOURCE: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, news release, March 31, 2023
If you're caring for someone with dementia, it's important to take care of yourself, too, to relieve some of the stress.