1.0 Introduction: The Effect of Alzheimer’s on the Family Structure
Alzheimer’s and related dementia is a decline in mental function severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities (Stats Canada, 2017, para. 2) and it affects over 550 thousand people in Canada (Alzheimer Society, 2017). There is a lot of research on how Alzheimer’s affects the person but not much on how it affects their family and caregivers. Providing more information on how caregivers are affected will give the Alzheimer’s community more recognition and support, while also giving people outside the community a better understanding of what these individuals go through. Alzheimer’s affects carers adversely, emotionally, physically, socially, and financially, …show more content…
The emotional burden on caregivers are reported at a high level with psychological symptoms and feelings of depression, stress and fatigue (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). Research suggests that people who are “highly neurotic” or introverted (Jang et al., 2004; Shiovitezera and Litwin, 2012) are more likely to have a higher percentage of emotional costs than non carers while they are caring for their Alzheimer’s family member. Suicidal thoughts are 16% more likely to happen, especially if the carer is living with their care recipient (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). 35% of caregivers felt that their general health had worsened since becoming a caregiver (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). In adult-child caregivers show a bigger emotional burden guilt compared to spousal caregivers. This indicates that they see caregiving as part of their marital duties (Conde-Sala, et al., 2010, as cited in Wennberg, A., Dye, C., Streetman-Loy, B., & Hiep, P., 2015). In connection with this women, compared to men, have a greater psychological burden because they are more likely to be more involved emotionally and physically (Pinquart & Sorensen, 2006; Stewart et al., 2014, as cited in Wennberg, A., Dye, C., Streetman-Loy, B., & Hiep, P., 2015). Women are more emotionally involved and feel more obligated to take care of the sick family …show more content…
It is detrimental not merely in the workplace but in the bank as well because the cost of caring for Alzheimer’s patients are over $30,000. The emotional suffering for the carer of an Alzheimer’s victim is destructive. Caregivers have reported high levels of psychological issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts, guilt, and stress. Alzheimer’s causes social expense in the caretakers affecting relationships in every aspect of their lives. The physical damage can cause adverse effects on the family and caretakers. This especially affects the more elderly caretakers who have a higher rate of frailty than a regular person in the same age range and caretakers are actually more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and related dementia than non-caretakers, men having the highest
Alzheimer’s and related dementia is a decline in mental function severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities (Stats Canada, 2017, para. 2) and it affects over 550 thousand people in Canada (Alzheimer Society, 2017). There is a lot of research on how Alzheimer’s affects the person but not much on how it affects their family and caregivers. Providing more information on how caregivers are affected will give the Alzheimer’s community more recognition and support, while also giving people outside the community a better understanding of what these individuals go through. Alzheimer’s affects carers adversely, emotionally, physically, socially, and financially, …show more content…
The emotional burden on caregivers are reported at a high level with psychological symptoms and feelings of depression, stress and fatigue (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). Research suggests that people who are “highly neurotic” or introverted (Jang et al., 2004; Shiovitezera and Litwin, 2012) are more likely to have a higher percentage of emotional costs than non carers while they are caring for their Alzheimer’s family member. Suicidal thoughts are 16% more likely to happen, especially if the carer is living with their care recipient (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). 35% of caregivers felt that their general health had worsened since becoming a caregiver (Black, S. E., et al., 2010). In adult-child caregivers show a bigger emotional burden guilt compared to spousal caregivers. This indicates that they see caregiving as part of their marital duties (Conde-Sala, et al., 2010, as cited in Wennberg, A., Dye, C., Streetman-Loy, B., & Hiep, P., 2015). In connection with this women, compared to men, have a greater psychological burden because they are more likely to be more involved emotionally and physically (Pinquart & Sorensen, 2006; Stewart et al., 2014, as cited in Wennberg, A., Dye, C., Streetman-Loy, B., & Hiep, P., 2015). Women are more emotionally involved and feel more obligated to take care of the sick family …show more content…
It is detrimental not merely in the workplace but in the bank as well because the cost of caring for Alzheimer’s patients are over $30,000. The emotional suffering for the carer of an Alzheimer’s victim is destructive. Caregivers have reported high levels of psychological issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts, guilt, and stress. Alzheimer’s causes social expense in the caretakers affecting relationships in every aspect of their lives. The physical damage can cause adverse effects on the family and caretakers. This especially affects the more elderly caretakers who have a higher rate of frailty than a regular person in the same age range and caretakers are actually more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and related dementia than non-caretakers, men having the highest