Alzheimer’s And The Women We Love

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It progresses from difficulty remembering names to confusion with familiar tasks and then later personality changes, problems speaking, swallowing and walking.

Although the risk for Alzheimer’s increases rises later in life it isn’t a normal part of the aging process. Family history, head trauma or brain injury as well as high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and other risk factors can increase susceptibility.

Women make up nearly two-thirds of adults aged 65 or older with Alzheimer’s, almost 3.4 million as of 2011. And women are nearly two times as likely to die of the disease as men. These greater rates of both incidence and mortality among women are related to longer life expectancy rather than an increased age-specific risk of disease.

Maria Shriver, a daughter of Alzheimer’s, in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association released The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes Alzheimer’s. It found that 27% of American’s have someone in their family with Alzheimer’s. The profile of the average Alzheimer’s caregiver is a married woman, about 50 years old, working full or part-time and most likely looking after her mother. They provided 40 hours of care a week in addition to caring for their families.

Women are traditionally the caregivers and the nurturers. However in 21^st Century America two-thirds of mothers and wives are primary or co-breadwinners so they are being increasingly stressed and worried beyond work and caring for family. Another study showed that women at the prime of their careers reported feeling judged by co-workers, not being able to accept promotions and straining to manage their jobs to their own high standards because of Alzheimer's caregiving duties.

The Obama administration is ramping up research efforts for patients and families with the disease with the National Alzheimer’s Project Act which pledges to combat the disease. But until then it’s our nation’s moms, wives, daughters, nieces and even neighbors who care for, worry about and literally pay for their compassion. If you know an Alzheimer’s caregiver or patient perhaps you might offer an afternoon of your time, a delivery of lunch or supper, even an ice cream sundae to lift their burden if only for a few hours or a moment. If you employ a caregiver understand that being pulled in many different directions is never easy and that you can help through your understanding, support and compassion. Alzheimer’s will affect us all in some way, someday, so keep any eye out and help when you can.

Accutech security knows that at some point caring for an Alzheimer’s sufferer may become too much for a family to bear. For them we have developed ResidentGuard, a wander management system for facilities that care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. It’s a safe and comfortable way to prevent a resident from leaving the unit and becoming disoriented or even lost. We protect your loved ones and give you the comfort in knowing that what you’re doing is the right thing for them.