JOAN’S WEEKEND BLOG – AUGUST 3-5, 2007 – CORRECTIONS , OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION, AND TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF.

Important Correction:  In response to yesterday’s Blog concerning Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (EOAD), one our readers corrected the age criteria. She said that Early Onset is considered before age 65 , not age 50, which means that many more people are included in the EOAD group. I quoted age 50 because that was the age for EOAD widely discussed in one of the conferences I attended, but in further researching it, yes, the age is 65. Unfortunately, many people are being diagnosed in their 50’s and even younger.

Valuable Resource for EOAD:
This information comes directly from one our readers:
Anyone with the disease and their spouse might want to register with Joann Webster at the Tulsa/OK Alzheimer office.  She is Early-onset Coordinator and there is a newsletter along with email connections to others in the same boat so to speak.  There was an early onset conference in Tulsa in early June.  Her Direct Line (918) 481-7746  TOLL FREE 1-800-272-3900 and email joann.webster@alz.org.  She is a voice at the National Alzheimer Association and works very hard to get the word out.
 
I plan to contact her myself, and will pass along any information she can provide. As I stated yesterday, I am particularly interested in information that will help spouses deal with children and teenagers and their reactions to their parent’s AD. We love our kids, but let’s face it - they do add stress to a marriage, so our younger spouses are dealing with marital stress, raising children stress, and the stress of trying to help their children cope with an AD parent. TOO MUCH STRESS!!!!  We’re looking for help for you.

TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF:
As I have been reading all of the posts and e-mails, one theme is obvious – we are overburdened, anxious, tense, and stressed – brought on by the sadness of losing the companionship of our spouses; the added workload in taking on the jobs they used to do; the difficulty of dealing with uncooperative relatives; the added trials related to raising children; and the psychological problems encountered by those children as they try to understand Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Being crushed by the weight of these burdens, you must be saying, “What, is she NUTS?  How am I going to find time for myself?”

• If your spouse is in a stage where he/she can be left alone, leave them alone for a couple of hours; if not, ask someone to come over and stay with them while you:

                                 Go out to lunch with a friend.

                                 Go to the movies with a
                                  friend or by yourself.

Go for a walk; a hike in the woods; go for     a bike ride.   
                                 
             Go to the library and read a book–

                                Sure, you can read a book at home, but you won’t get the quiet and solitude you will get at the library.

                                 Shop as your budget allows – I love those Discount
                                 Outlets.
                                 Get a manicure (and a pedicure if you can splurge.)
                                
                                   Get your hair done.

  THESE ARE JUST A FEW SUGGESTIONS. TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS AND DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY TO REJUVINATE YOURSELF!!!!!!

          I wish you all a weekend as free from stress as possible. Keep writing on the message boards, and I will check in often to post them as soon as I read them.

Feedback to joan@thealzheimerspouse.com

The material included on this website contains general information intended as information only. This site is not intended to provide personal, professional, medical, or psychological advice, and should not be relied upon to govern behavior in any certain or particular circumstances. The opinions in the blogs are solely those of the owner of the website. The opinions on the message boards are not necessarily endorsed by the owner of this website, and are the opinions of those persons writing the messages. All material on this web site is for demonstration and informational purposes only.

The Alzheimer Spouse LLC 2009 All Rights Reserved