The holidays can be a stressful time for us all, but those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s face an added set of challenges, both practical and emotional. Dealing with grief during this cheery season, whether you’re grieving a deceased loved one or grieving the many daily losses of dementia, is very difficult. Furthermore, attending to holiday shopping, hosting …
Anticipatory Loss, Grief, and Dementia
Some have called Alzheimer’s disease “the Long Goodbye;” because of the gradual decline people with the disease experience, those close to them feel as though they’re losing them little by little over many years. Caregivers can become trapped in a cycle of grieving as the disease progresses and they mourn new losses. Because loss and disability have a significant impact …
January Caregiver Connection: Handling Guilt
It is normal to feel guilty during the process of caregiving. But feelings of guilt aren’t always healthy or appropriate; we may set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, and feel guilty when we don’t meet these expectations. In this case, guilt can drain our emotional energy and make us less effective caregivers. Luckily, there are things you can do to deal …
December Caregiver Connection: Holiday Caregiving Issues
The holidays can be a stressful time for us all, but those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s face an added set of challenges, both practical and emotional. Dealing with grief during this cheery season, whether you’re grieving a deceased loved one or grieving the many daily losses of dementia, is very difficult. Furthermore, attending to holiday shopping, hosting …