Amy Schenk, community engagement lead at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida, joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to talk about handling caregiver anxiety and stress, and provides advice for caregivers. We have to focus on caregivers – if you were still working and your employer has a program assistance number, call the number. Another thing: if you’re an only child, you’ll be responsible for a senior loved one’s care, but you’ll also be in control of all the decisions. If there are many children in the family, that becomes challenging, so reach out to other people.
We all think at the start that “we can handle it alone, we’re super.” You’re wrong: everyone needs help on this journey. How many times do people ask you, “if you need anything, just call” — that’s nice, thinking you have a free minute – keep your sense of humor. What you want to do is write down all the things on your plate now that you think you might have help with, not that you should but that you might, and when people offer, you have already thought through what you need, even if it’s to have a quiet chat once a week while you’re spouse is sleeping. People who want to help you will help you.
Learn more about the LIFT-AD Trial, a Phase 2 Study of an investigational drug for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and about the Neuropsychiatric Research Center.
