caregiving for alzheimers patients
The Caregiver's Handbook
Imagine an entire handbook of Alzheimer's caregiving online. That's what you find at this site, courtesy of the handbook's creators, San Diego (CA) County Mental Health Services. It deals with many aspects of caregiving, such as caring for caregivers, community agencies that can help, handling the affected person's personal care, nutrition issues, medical aspects of Alzheimer's caregiving, and legal and financial issues. This site is definitely worth a visit.
Coping -- Hoffmann Family Home Page
This poignant site, constructed by Bob Hoffmann, describes his wife Shirley's struggle with Pick's disease, a condition similar to Alzheimer's. You'll find family commentary on caregiving and coping, first-person contributions by others who have been Alzheimer's caregivers, links to other Alzheimer's sites, a bibliography of good books for caregivers and other family members, and a practical section called "Surviving Caregiving."
ALZwell
ALZwell is a quirky, rich, very ambitious personal site developed by a Northern California caregiver who identifies herself only as "Susan." She cares for her mother-in-law, who has both Alzheimer's and diabetes. One unique feature of ALZwell is the "Anger Page," where caregivers can vent their frustrations and link to online resources that help people deal with their anger, a major issue for caregivers. Another is "Camera Views," online escapes for caregivers to picturesque destinations, for example, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Maui, and other tourist destinations around the world. A third is "Escape," fun websites, including comedy sites, for some R&R without leaving home. The site also contains reviews and excerpts of Susan's favorite books on Alzheimer's, links to more than 100 online resources, answers to many questions about caregiving, and more. Definitely worth a visit.
A Year to Remember…
This site was constructed by Brenda Parris Sibley in memory of her mother, Jessie Lee Parris, who died in April 1996 after having Alzheimer's disease for two years. Brenda quit graduate school in 1994, after her mother's diagnosis, and returned to Alabama to care for her. She was her mother's primary caregiver for more than a year, until Jessie Lee had to be moved to a nursing home. The site contains poignant recollections: Brenda's caregiving journal, her poetry, her mother's story, and family photos. If you're a caregiver, you're sure to identify with the information here -- and draw emotional strength from it. This site also contains links to a dozen other Alzheimer's sites, including 17 other personal Alzheimer's home pages.
Caregiver Network, Inc.
Based in Toronto, Canada, this site is aimed primarily at Canadians who provide care for anyone with Alzheimer's or any other chronic condition. But it's available and useful to non-Canadians as well. Its purpose is to "make caregivers' lives easier." The site accomplishes this by inviting visitors to use an easy search function for the kind of caregiving that interests them: Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, etc. What appears on the screen are bulletin-board postings and other information about that specific illness and the caregiving issues it raises. The postings are wide-ranging and worth a look. This site was developed by Karen Henderson, who cared for her father for 10 years. The experience drained her emotionally, physically, and professionally -- and inspired her to launch her site so that others would not have to endure all the problems she faced. Finally, the site contains "On My Mind," Henderson's personal journal of caregiving, which provides valuable insights into the experience.
Caregiving Newsletter
"Caring for an aging relative is hard. We know. We're here to help." Those are the reassuring words that greet visitors to this site, operated by the staff of Caregiving Newsletter, based in Park Ridge, IL, "the support group that arrives at your door every month." On this site you can read excellent articles from Caregiving Newsletter and subscribe online; explore Caregiving's Online Journal, a collection of poignant first-person essays by caregivers about the joys and heartaches of caregiving; subscribe to Focus on You, a monthly email newsletter of caregiving tips; and nominate a terrific caregiver for Caregiver of the Year. This site is well put together, yet it has a friendly, homey feel that's quite welcome in the often-impersonal online world. Check it out.
The National Association of Home Care (NAHC)
NAHC is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents the interests of more than 6,000 hospices, home-care agencies, and home health aid organizations. NAHC publishes dozens of detailed guides, including: How to Choose a Home Care Provider, an informative booklet aimed at consumers and their families; National Home Care Directory, which lists home care providers; and How to Exchange Hospital Coverage for Hospice and Home Care, a guide to negotiating with health insurers.
Reactivate
Reactivate actively promotes and develops resource materials for recreation therapists, activity coordinators, caregivers, people working with older adults, and those who see leisure as a vital element in the treatment and care of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Lorraine Gibson is the proprietor of Reactivate and has many years' experience in education, and long-term care. Reactivate's objective is to supply helpful resources at reasonable prices.
Speak Out on Alzheimer's Disease Survey
What do you think the world should know about Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's caregiving? Pam Haisman, R.N., M.S., wants to know. She's writing a book about the toll Alzheimer's takes on those who suffer the disease and those who care for them. This site contains three surveys: one for people with Alzheimer's disease, another for people who are or have been Alzheimer's caregivers, and a third for non-caregivers who have been touched by Alzheimer's in some way. Each survey can be completed in about 10 minutes (though you can write as much as you like).