If you or a loved one was just recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you are no doubt feeling overwhelmed by the news. You may be struggling with some practical concerns that involve your safety and that of your loved ones. Perhaps you will have to give up driving or turn over the household finances to someone else. Maybe you’ve already had to stop working. Perhaps you can no longer pursue a beloved hobby such as traveling or cooking.
On top of all these practical considerations, you may be feeling self-conscious, angry, and frustrated because your mind no longer works the way it once did. Or you may be feeling perfecdy healthy and strong, which makes it difficult for you to even believe or accept that you have Alzheimer’s. Perhaps you may even deny that you have this devastating disease. And when you gaze into the not-so-distant future, you may experience anxiety about losing your independence, and tremendous sadness about giving up your job or hobbies you once enjoyed.
There’s no doubt: Having Alzheimer’s disease will have a profound impact on you and your family. Tackling some of these challenges early on and outlining your wishes now will help you adapt to your condition more quickly and ease some of the stress caused by the disease. We will look at some of the overwhelming practical decisions and emotional reactions you may be facing. Some topics will also feature a section just for the caregiver, who will play a key role in helping you cope with making these adjustments and dealing with these difficult feelings. While it’s virtually impossible to cover all the challenges that Alzheimer’s Disease might cause, we will explore some of the most common difficulties you will confront.
Day-To-Day Considerations
The impact of Alzheimer’s varies significantly from one person to the next and can strike at different times for different people. But if you’ve been diagnosed with the disease, then you probably already have symptoms that are disturbing enough to have warranted medical attention. And that means you are probably also facing some decisions about how to live your life in a way that preserves your safety and well-being as well as your dignity and pride. When you have a disease like Alzheimer’s, that can be difficult to do.