Local counseling centers, outpatient services, daycare facilities and volunteers can help and relieve the burden. More than half of those with dementia who are in need of care live at home. Usually, family members take care of them over years of self-sacrifice. People with Alzheimer's and other forms of Dementia usually give a familiar environment with a high level of security and stability. Relatives often have an inner concern to accompany the sick at home as long as possible. They take on the concomitant burdens, because they experience again and again very beautiful moments of connectedness.
People from Americare tell that the more dementia progresses, the more patients need care and attention. In the process, many relatives are overburdened. Exhaustion and health problems are often the consequences. Those affected should therefore look for help early on - in the family, but also in the voluntary or professional environment. There is support from many sides. For example, the provided free psychological online counseling for family caregivers.
Avoid excessive demands and violence
Caring for people with dementia can - as the disease progresses - lead to overburdening and, in some cases, to the use of physical or psychological violence. Because the caregivers, often also the very old-aged life partner or the life partners, feel left alone with the stressful situations for them.
In order to prevent such situations, but also to provide assistance and support when violence has already started, Faivish Pewzner from Americare suggests appropriate counseling and contact points can provide help and support.
Advice and help from like-minded people
Contacts between people who are in a similar situation helps them to cope better with their own situation. Counseling centers, local Alzheimer's societies or charities often offer self-help groups for elderly people with dementia. Also the personal exchange in our relatives weblog can be helpful.
Competent advice in nursing questions
Dementia patients and their caregivers have a right, according to the Nursing Development Act, to obtain comprehensive and individual advice from the long-term care funds. This either goes by phone or a nursing consultant visits those affected at home. In some places, counseling also takes place in so-called care centers. Information is available from the health and long-term care funds.
Compatibility of care and work
To support family carers in their often difficult situation between family, care and occupation, the Federal Government has since January 1, 2015 important new provisions in the care time law and family care time law made. Further extension of the Nursing Act II from 1 January 2017 resulted in improvements in pension insurance contributions and unemployment insurance for more caregivers. The following measures should give the family caregiver more flexibility and security in order to care for their relatives and at the same time to be able to work:
- In the case of acute nursing care in the family, employees can take a ten-day break and apply to the care fund of the nursing care allowance to be cared for.
- There is a legal right to a partial or full exemption of up to six months as part of the nursing period, with the option of taking out an interest-free loan if the employer has more than 15 employees.
- As part of family care, family carers can take advantage of a 24-month partial leave with a minimum working time of 15 hours per week, if they care for a close relative in a home environment.
Outpatient care services
Many caregivers are employed or have other duties to perform and do not have the time to be there for a dementia patient around the clock. Others are physically unable to do so. In such situations, relatives may apply for benefits in kind instead of care allowance. For example in the form of outpatient care services. The employees come to the house to help people with dementia get up, wash and dress, go to bed or take regular pills.
Temporary relief
Caring relatives also need time for themselves or for a visit to the doctor, they want to do sports or meet friends. Caregivers who look after people with dementia once or several times a week for a few hours are a good solution here. If relatives go on holiday or are in hospital, people with dementia can temporarily move to a home for a few days or weeks.
Alternative home
Sometimes care at home is only possible for a certain time or not at all. This has very different and often very individual reasons. After years of home care, relatives are often at the end of their strength and can no longer afford the care. In that case it is especially important to find a home care provider like Americare in which people in need of care and visiting relatives feel equally at home. Independent advice centers and checklists help to make the right decision.
