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| |  Coming Surge in Alzheimer's Cases Will Challenge Families MONTVALE, N.J., Dec. 12, 1996 -- The aging of America will double the number of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases from four million today to more than eight million by the middle of the next century, according to a Patient Care report. The coming surge in AD will pose special challenges to the healthcare system and the families who must cope. AD already affects nearly half of those aged 85 and older and about 20% of those aged 75 to 85. New drugs on the way will delay the onset of Alzheimer's, slow its progression, and postpone the need for outside care. But this means that family members will have caregiving responsibility for longer periods of time. Caregivers are often AD's "hidden victims". They are on call 24 hours a day -- washing, dressing, feeding, and monitoring patients -- and often make financial, housing and healthcare decisions. The stress of caring for an AD patient can lead to health problems like depression, sleep disturbances, anxiety and chronic fatigue. Anger and resentment may lead to outright abuse or neglect of the patient, making it critically important to give caregivers information and support. Patient Care offers practical strategies to help caregivers cope: -- Establish predictable routines, such as taking a walk at the same time each day. -- Minimize distractions and avoid situations where there is too much noise or too many people. -- Simplify decision making. Let the patient choose from one of two outfits rather than the whole closet. -- Encourage regular exercise. Patients who are physically active during the day will sleep better at night. -- Be firm. Tell the patient "Now it's time to take a bath" rather than offering choices. Guidelines for caregivers are available in a handout: "Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease" that can be obtained from Patient Care by fax, 201-573-4625 or e-mail, patientcare@medec.com. Further help is available by calling the Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900. Patient Care is a scientific journal published 20 times a year for more than 115,000 physicians in office-based primary care practice throughout the United States. It is a publication of Medical Economics Company (Montvale, NJ).
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