Understanding the Broad Range of Alzheimer’s Care

If you have a close relative with Alzheimer's disease that you need help caring for, finding them the proper care they need to lead a better quality of life is of the utmost importance. That being said, you'll soon find that the multiple types of care and caregivers can ultimately make it that much more difficult to help your loved one.

Fortunately, like it is with the causes of Alzheimer's itself, there is plenty of information out there that can help you break down the different types of care to learn more about which one may be right for your loved one. To help you get started in your Alzheimer's research journey, here is a guide to help you understand the broad range of Alzheimer's care and what you should be looking for.

Types of Care

As Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, the level of care that your loved one will require will depend upon their individual circumstances and how far their symptoms have progressed. To better understand the broad range of care options available, here are some of the care types you may come across during your research.

While the types of care are myriad, this list should help you better understand what options are available and which ones would be best for your loved one's current situation.

Remember to care for yourself as well

It's important that both caregivers and Alzheimer's patients receive care as this disease can impact all of the lives of people involved. One excellent suggestion that would benefit you and your loved one is psychiatry. For those with Alzheimer's, receiving mental health care from a psychiatrist may help them feel less alone throughout their journey and allow them to work through difficult emotions. For caregivers, watching their loved ones navigate this disease, and trying to balance care with their day-to-day lives can cause great stress and lead to mental health disorders. Fortunately, a mental health assessment and subsequent treatment can be the next step towards taking care of your mental health needs. But where do you get started? Fortunately, combining both of your needs is as simple as finding a registered nurse (RN) whose specialty is mental health.

During your search for care, you may want to consult a mental health specialist such as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Psychiatric nurse practitioners or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) are individuals with an RN license and a specialty in psychiatry who are capable of conducting comprehensive mental health assessments, administering individual or family psychotherapy to treat mental illness (or dealing with crisis intervention when needed), and prescribing medications for psychiatric disorders. Because of the residency and practice hours/clinical hours requirements and many years of experience that those within this profession have (as well as having to take rigorous online programs to become a mental health nurse practitioner and undergoing a wide variety of certifications and degree programs to become a registered nurse and psychiatrists like a bachelor's degree or master's degree or advanced degrees like a doctoral degree to get a Ph.D.), you're sure to be in good hands given the competency level of these professionals and the dedication needed to become a psychiatric nurse.

Where do I look for care?

After you've determined what type of care will be best for your loved one, the next question is, how do I find care? The best way to get started is to use a tool that will direct you to nearby resources, such as that offered by the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation. The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to understanding the puzzle of Alzheimer's and unlocking a cure (and one backed by authoritative names like Charity Navigator, Guidestar that label the Fisher Center Foundation as being a four-star charity and one of the best research institutes, something that can be clearly noted by their research being published in publications like the New York Times). Located inside their information-rich website is a resource locator that can help you find support near you anywhere in the United States, from New York to LA. Whether you're looking for care clinics, psychiatric mental health support, psychologists, at-home care, or skilled nursing facilities, this tool will be able to help you find it all. With this tool on your side, it's just a matter of reaching out to relevant organizations near your location in the U.S.

Dealing with Alzheimer's disease can be difficult for the afflicted individual as well as their family and friends. That being said, there are plenty of resources to help you tackle your loved one's needs as you navigate this disease together. To help you get started in your journey, use the guide above to help you learn more about the different types of care, why care is important for you, and how to get started looking for the care options that are most applicable to your loved one's situation.