Please look into home caregivers coming in to help you care for your wife in addition to Funkygrandma's good idea about adult daycare. If you're overwhelmed and not looking after yourself, let that be your red flag to make some changes. There are TWO people here who matter, you and your wife, not just her. If you break down or get sick, then what???
Dementia is very difficult for one person to handle the care for, most people can agree with that statement. Memory Care Assisted Living can be another option down the road if home care doesn't work out. My mother spent just under 3 years in MC and was very well cared for by "her girls" as she called them.
Google adult daycare in your area, caregiver agencies and in person support groups.
Wishing you the best of luck with a difficult situation.
Your profile says that your wife is 73 and that she's been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's which is unusual for someone her age as most early onset folks are in their late 50's early 60's. But regardless, she obviously has dementia and that diagnosis can be very overwhelming for the loved one tasked to care for them. However, if you are overwhelmed this early on in your wife's diagnosis, it's time to get your ducks in a row and get either in-home care set up for her so you can get out and still do things that you enjoy, or take her to your local Adult Daycare Center where she will be around other folks with dementia. You can take her there up to 5 days a week and 8 hours a day. They will feed her breakfast, lunch and a snack and keep her busy with lots of fun activities. There's a cost, but if money is an issue they do have help available. I would also suggest educating yourself about dementia, so you're better prepared for what lies ahead. The book The 36 Hour Day is a great place to start. And I would also see if you have a local caregiver support group in your area, as it always helps to be able to share with others going through similar things as you. Self care is very important as you take this journey with your wife, so please make sure you're at least doing little things that bring you joy. And if and when your wife's care gets to be just too much for you, you can have her placed in a memory care facility where you can get back to just being her husband and advocate instead of her overwhelmed caregiver. You are stronger than you know and you're going to be ok when this journey is all said and done. God bless you.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dementia is very difficult for one person to handle the care for, most people can agree with that statement. Memory Care Assisted Living can be another option down the road if home care doesn't work out. My mother spent just under 3 years in MC and was very well cared for by "her girls" as she called them.
Google adult daycare in your area, caregiver agencies and in person support groups.
Wishing you the best of luck with a difficult situation.
But regardless, she obviously has dementia and that diagnosis can be very overwhelming for the loved one tasked to care for them.
However, if you are overwhelmed this early on in your wife's diagnosis, it's time to get your ducks in a row and get either in-home care set up for her so you can get out and still do things that you enjoy, or take her to your local Adult Daycare Center where she will be around other folks with dementia. You can take her there up to 5 days a week and 8 hours a day. They will feed her breakfast, lunch and a snack and keep her busy with lots of fun activities. There's a cost, but if money is an issue they do have help available.
I would also suggest educating yourself about dementia, so you're better prepared for what lies ahead. The book The 36 Hour Day is a great place to start.
And I would also see if you have a local caregiver support group in your area, as it always helps to be able to share with others going through similar things as you.
Self care is very important as you take this journey with your wife, so please make sure you're at least doing little things that bring you joy.
And if and when your wife's care gets to be just too much for you, you can have her placed in a memory care facility where you can get back to just being her husband and advocate instead of her overwhelmed caregiver.
You are stronger than you know and you're going to be ok when this journey is all said and done.
God bless you.