According to the 2019 report from the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.8 million American’s have Alzheimer’s. This report also shares that the risk for Alzheimer’s at age 45 is 10.3% for men and 19.5% for woman. It also shared is that, “According to one study using data from the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE), approximately 487,000 people age 65 or older will develop Alzheimer’s dementia in the United States in 2019” (19). The general nature of Alzheimer’s is something most are familiar with, but understanding what it is like caring for a family member who suffers from it is less common.
Last month we discussed the financial costs of caregiving, so I thought this month I would share what it is like to be a caregiver firsthand, and since there are 5.8 million families out there caring for a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s, I reached out to my mom to get her advice and insight on caring for someone who has this disease. It’s been six years since we lost my grandmother, Ramona, to Alzheimer’s, and my mom, Ann, was one of the primary caregivers for her mother in law.