This document discusses caregiving for those with Alzheimer's disease. It provides information on the stages of Alzheimer's and what caregivers can expect at each stage, from early to late stages. It also discusses the toll caregiving can take and provides tips for managing caregiver stress, such as finding support groups, making self-care a priority through exercise, rest, and hobbies, and using relaxation techniques. The campaign Take 1 Moment is highlighted, which aims to recognize and support Alzheimer's caregivers. Facts are given on the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's and the large economic and time contribution of unpaid family caregiving.

1. Impact on Caregivers
November is National Family Caregivers Month
Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 1
Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Inside this issue:
Alzheimer’s in the
Brain
2
Early-Stage Care-
giving
2
Middle-Stage
Caregiving
2
Late-Stage Care-
giving
2
Identifying Be-
haviors
3
Top 5 Tips for
Caregivers
3
Responding to
Behaviors
3
Caregiver Stress 4
Facts and Figures 2015
 ~ 5.3 million Americans
have Alzheimer’s dis-
ease in 2015
 Alzheimer’s disease is
the 6th leading cause of
death in the United
States
 1 in 3 seniors dies with
Alzheimer’s or another
dementia
 In 2015, Alzheimer’s and
other dementias will cost
the nation $226 billion.
By 2050, these costs
could rise as high as
$1.1 trillion.
New Campaign Thanks Caregivers of
People with Alzheimer's Disease
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2015 /
PRNewswire/ --New campaign starting on
World Alzheimer's Day (September 21) to
rally people to Take 1 Moment to recognize
caregivers of loved ones living with Alz-
heimer's disease.
"Alzheimer's disease not only impacts those
diagnosed, it affects the whole family," CAN
Chief Executive Officer John Schall.
"More than 15 millioni husbands, wives,
daughters, sons and friends care for some-
one with Alzheimer's. Without support, pro-
viding care can be very difficult to juggle
with jobs, raising kids or just finding time
for yourself."
"One of the hardest parts of being a family
caregiver is simply admitting that you can't
do it alone and reaching out to ask others for
help," Dan Gasby. "Our hope is that every
family impacted by Alzheimer's disease feels
supported, which is exactly why we joined
this campaign."
"With an increasing number of people diag-
nosed with Alzheimer's, we know that the
number of families needing support services
is only going to grow," said Bill Meury,
President, Branded Pharma.
To learn more about the Take 1 Moment
campaign, visit the Caregiver Action Net-
work website www.caregiveraction.org,
which also has additional resources for Alz-
heimer's disease caregivers.
"There are four kinds of
people: those who will
become caregivers,
those who are caregiv-
ers, those who were
caregivers,
and those who will need
caregiving themselves."
-Former First Lady
In 2014, friends and family of
people with Alzheimer's and
other dementias provided an
estimated 17.9 billion hours
of unpaid care, a contribution
to the nation valued at $217.7
billion.
Approximately 2/3 caregivers
are women and 34% are age
65 or older.
41% of caregivers have a
household income of $50,000
or less.
Over 1/2 of primary caregiv-
ers of people with dementia
take care of parents.
It is estimated that 250,000
children and young adults
between ages 8 and 18 pro-
vide help to someone with
Alzheimer's disease or an-
other dementia

2. What to Expect
A person with late-stage Alz-
heimer’s usually needs full-
time help with personal care.
He or she may have difficulty
eating and swallowing, may
lose the ability to communicate
with words, and may need
assistance walking and eventu-
ally is unable to walk
For example, try:
 Playing his or her favorite
music,
 Looking at old photos to-
gether
 Brushing the person’s hair
 Sitting outside together on a
nice day
 Reading portions of books
Middle-Stage
Caregiving
Page 2 Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Early-Stage
Caregiving
What to Expect
During the middle stages of
Alzheimer’s patients may
have difficulty expressing
thoughts and performing
routine tasks. Functioning
independently becomes
more difficult
Your Role
Caregiving responsibilities
become more demanding in
the middle stages of Alz-
heimer’s. You will develop
strategies and ways of coping
that work for you and the
patient.
Late-Stage
Caregiving
Quick Tips:
Learn what to expect in the middle
stages so you can be prepared.
Use simple written reminders.
Respond to the emotion instead of
the specific question; the person
may simply need reassurance
Your Role
As a caregiver your role is
focused on preserving qual-
ity of life and dignity. At this
point in the disease, the
world is primarily experi-
enced through senses. You
can express your caring
through sound, touch, sight,
taste, and smell.
Alzheimer’s disease leads
to nerve cell death and
tissue loss throughout the
brain. The brain shrinks dra-
matically over time and affects
nearly all of its functions.
Looking at brain tissue under
the microscope reveals that
Alzheimer’s tissue has fewer
nerve cells and synapses than
a health brain. There’s also a
build up of plaques or abnor-
mal clusters of protein frag-
ments between nerve cells.
Dead and dying nerve cells
contain twisted strands of an-
other protein which are called
tangles. These plaques and
tangles are suspected to be the
cause of cell death and tissue
loss in the Alzheimer’s brain.
In mild to moderate stages, the
brain develops plaques and
tangles in regions important in
memory, thinking, and plan-
ning. Plaques and tangles also
spread to areas involved in
speaking, understanding
speech, and your sense of
where your body is in relation
to objects around you,
In advanced stages of Alz-
heimer’s, the brain shrinks
dramatically due to wide-
spread cell death and most of
the cortex is seriously dam-
aged.
Individuals lose their ability to
communicate, recognize family
members and loved ones, and
caring for themselves
Alzheimer’s Disease and the Brain
What to Expect
People in the early stages of
Alzheimer’s may function
independently. In the early
stages mild changes in the
ability to think or learn
may be experienced.
Your Role
In the early stages of Alz-
heimer’s you may act more
like a partner than a care
giver. The degree of assistance
needed varies with each indi-
vidual.
Patients may need cues and
reminders.
Examples:
 Remembering words or
names
 Managing money
 Doing familiar tasks
 Keeping appointments
 Planning/organizing

3. How to Respond
Alzheimer’s disease can cause
people to act in different and
unpredictable ways. Some
may become anxious or ag-
gressive , repeat certain ques-
tions or gestures, and many
misinterpret what they hear.
Frustration, misunderstand-
ing, and tension particularly
between the caregiver and the
person with dementia can
result from these behaviors.
It’s important to understand
that the person isn’t trying to
be difficult and that all behav-
iors are a form of communica-
tion.
Identifying behaviors is the
first and most important step.
Following a three-step ap-
proach can help you identify
common dementia-related
behaviors and causes.
First, examine the behavior.
What was the behavior? Was
it harmful? Did something
trigger it? Could something
be causing the person pain?
Second, explore potential
solutions. Are the person’s
needs being met? Can adapt-
ing the surroundings comfort
the person? How can you
change your reaction or ap-
proach?
Third, try different responses.
Did your new response help?
Do you need to explore other
potential causes and solu-
tions? If so, what can you do
differently?
 Avoid being conde-
scending or critical at
all costs
 Above all, never lose
sight of the dignity
within the human
being who has the
disease
Visit bsmith.com to learn
more about the
book Before I Forget.
Behaviors
A Note to Caregivers from Dan Gasby
Alzheimer’s Related Behavior Changes
Anxiety & Agitation
Listen to the frustration
and find out what may be
causing the anxiety. Pro-
vide reassurance using
calming phrases. Involve
the person in art, music, or
other activities to distract
them from anxiety. De-
creasing noise and distrac-
tions can also help.
Confusion
A person with Alz-
heimer’s disease may not
recognize familiar places,
people, or things. Clarify
with simple explanations
and offer corrections as
suggestions. Using photos
and other reminders can
help to remind the person
of important relationships.
Aggression
Aggressive behavior may
be verbal or physical. Un-
derstand what is causing
the anger as it can occur
suddenly and with no ap-
parent reason. Rule out
pain as the cause of ag-
gression, try to identify
the immediate cause, and
remain calm..
Page 3Volume 1, Issue 1
SIDEB
1. Try not to take
behaviors
personally
2. Remain patient
and calm
3. Explore pain as
a trigger
4. Don’t argue or
try to convince
5. Accept
behaviors as a
reality of the
disease and try
to work through
it
TOP 5 TIPS
Dan Gasby, author of
the book “Before I
Forget” , is husband
and care partner to
supermodel, restau-
rateur, magazine
publisher, celebrity
chef, and nationally
known lifestyle
maven B. Smith, who
has younger-onset
Alzheimer’s.. Some
suggestions learned
through his experience:
 Read the literature
 Learn as much as
you can about the
disease
 Get in touch with
your local branch of
Alzheimer’s Associa-
tion
 Don’t try to finish a
loved one’s sentences

4. Page 4Volume 1, Issue 1
www.alz.org
24/7 Helpline:
(800) 272-3900
Locate a support
group in your com-
munity
Visit message
boards
Caregiver Stress
Alzheimer’s caregivers frequently report experiencing high stress levels. Taking care of a
loved one with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming and very stressful. Too much stress can
be harmful not only to your own personal health but also to the individual you are caring
for.
10 Symptoms of Caregiver Stress
1. Denial
2. Social withdrawal
3. Depression
4. Anger
5. Irritability
6. Sleeplessness
7. Health problems
8. Exhaustion
9. Anxiety
10. Lack of concentration
Tips for Managing Stress
Relaxation techniques such
as progressive muscle re-
laxation, breathing exer-
cises, visualization, and
meditation can be very use-
ful in managing stress. Get-
ting physical activity in any
form can also help reduce
stress along with improving
overall well-being.
Making time for yourself is
very important in staying
connected with friends,
family, and activities you
love. Trying to do every-
thing by yourself will only
lead to exhaustion so seek-
ing the support of family
and friends will help reduce
stress. Regular doctor visits,
getting plenty of rest, exer-
cising, and eating a healthy
diet are amongst the many
ways you can take care of
yourself. In order to provide
the best care possible, you
must first make sure you
stay healthy.
Find a Support Group
An Alzheimer’s Caregiver
support group offers a safe
place for caregivers, family
and friends to meet and de-
velop a support system.
 Share feelings, needs
and concerns
 Learn about resources
available in your com-
munity
 Exchange practical infor-
mation on care giving
problems and possible
solutions
 Talk through challenges
and ways of coping
The Alzheimer’s Association
has chapters across the coun-
try. Visit www.alz.org/care
to find a support group and
education services available
near you.