7 Jun 2009
Dear Mary,
Regarding the May 24th column, I suggest additional consideration about the husband devoting his life to his dementia patient wife. When my Alzheimer patient wife went into nursing care two years ago, social workers recommended I try to maintain as much of my previous routine as possible. This is because caregivers are five times more vulnerable to depression than the general public. Keeping the associations and connections one had before provides the support the caregiver needs in a time of crisis. It's not a question of effect on the children or benefit to the patient; it's survival of the spouse which is at stake. This devoted husband is in jeopardy, and he and his children need to address the situation to avoid having not one, but two disabled parents.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for pointing out a crucial detail I was remiss to address.
I am an advocate for caregivers and have frequently said they need to take care of themselves in order to take care of others. As you mentioned, depression is a major concern. Statistically, about 60% of caregivers suffer from it, as opposed to approximately 50% of their Alzheimer’s-affected loved ones.
Although all caregivers are on the same journey, each unique experience puts them on different paths. This gentleman needs time to grieve and, with family support and validation, he will gradually let go and pick up the pieces of his life. If he should become stuck, a certified counselor can be of great help.
Dear Mary,
I hope you will share this information with your readers. There is an organization in Anne Arundel County called Partners in Care that helps relieve caregivers. Volunteers provide rides to doctors’ appointments and grocery stores, help with errands, do minor handyman repairs, etc. Our mission is to empower older adults to remain independent in their own homes. We develop, manage, and integrate innovative reciprocity programs where participants contribute to the well-being of each other. Our web site (www.partnersincare.org) has some stories that may interest your readers such as the senior who is a caregiver to two disabled adult daughters and the difference Partners in Care has made in her life.
Volunteers are needed to meet our increasing demand for services. There are many ways for people to volunteer and as little as 2 hours per month can make a difference. Readers can log onto our website or call 410-544-4800 for more information.
Thank you,
Linda Figallo,
Wisdom Work Team Facilitator
Partner’s in care
Dear Linda,
With summer around the corner and vacation plans made, the peace of mind Partners in Care affords to caregivers is invaluable. I am very familiar with your services and encourage those in need to contact this wonderful organization. You won’t be disappointed.
I was curious about the meaning of Wisdom Work Team. Here is what Linda had to say:
“Partners in Care is one of 15 organizations nation-wide selected by the National Council on Aging to receive a grant to participate in the Multigenerational Civic Engagement Initiative. Civic Engagement is the new term for volunteering. The grant recognizes locally developed programs of excellence that have the capacity to become national models. The purpose of the grant is to develop and implement a volunteer engagement strategy with the goal of increasing and sustaining our pool of volunteer members, and to document policies and procedures for use by new members and for site replicability. The National Council on Aging directed that we accomplish our work under the grant through a self-directed Wisdom Work Team. A self-directed Wisdom Work Team is a multi-skilled group of adults 55+ who share responsibilities for addressing a challenge or opportunity in their community.”
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