November is National Family Caregivers Month

Lend a helping hand to family members and friends serving as Alzheimer’s caregivers.

Here are 8 Ways to Support an Alzheimer’s Caregiver:

1. Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease. The more you know, the easier it will be to find ways to help.

2. Build a Care Team. Organize family and friends who want to help with caregiving. Coordinate helpers and share tasks with a care team calendar.

3. Give Caregivers a Break. Make a standing appointment to spend time with the person living with dementia, and to give the caregiver an opportunity to recharge.

4. Check In. Many Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers report feeling isolated or alone. Be sure to check in to help them feel supported.

5. Tackle the To-Do List. Ask for a list of errands or chores that need to be done. It can be hard for a caregiver to find time to check these tasks off their list.

6. Be Specific and Be Flexible. Specific offers of support (“I’m going to the store; what do you need?”) can be more helpful than open-ended offers (“Call me if you need anything”).

7. Help for the Holidays. Help caregivers during the holidays by offering to help with cooking, cleaning or gift shopping, or by offering to host family celebrations.

8. Join the Fight. Honor a person living with the disease and their caregiver by getting involved with the Alzheimer’s Association: Volunteer, fundraise, advocate and more.

The North Dakota Dementia Care Services Project began in January 2010, with funding from the North Dakota Department of Human Services, Aging Services Division, and the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter.

Care consultants meet with people with dementia and their caregivers to increase knowledge and decrease caregiver stress by assessing needs; identifying issues, concerns, and resources; developing care plans and referrals; and providing education and follow-up. Care consultants generally meet at the caregivers, or the person living with dementia’s, home.

Care consultants follow up in person and by phone after the initial care consultation and can provide follow-ups for as long as needed. As the disease progresses, the concerns from the first meeting often change during later care consultations or follow-ups. Care Consultant and volunteers also deliver community and professional education.

The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our Mission: The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.

Services can be accessed by calling our toll-free 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900, or by calling your local care consultant.

For services in Regions 3 and 6, the counties of Wells, Foster, Barnes, Dickey, Lamoure, McIntosh, Logan, Sheridan, Stutsman, Eddy, Ramsey, Benson, Towner, Cavalier and Rolette, please contact Beth Olson, Regional Care Consultant out of the Maddock office for the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota / North Dakota at 701-952-0800 or [email protected].

Beth Olson has worked for the Alzheimer’s Association for the past 10 years and has some of the same clients she initially worked with 10 years ago. Employed by the Alzheimer’s Association, care consultants have a background in counseling, social work, or long-term care administration; all have a bachelor’s degree, and many a relevant master’s degree. They are clinically supervised by a clinical services director with a master’s in social work and extensive experience in care consultation.