| Family CaregiverFamilies are the backbone of our nation’s caregiver system.
Everyone who participates in family life may become a caregiver.
This site includes a broad-range of information to assist family
caregivers in this journey of love and commitment. Thank you for
caring for these valuable human beings. Whatever your spiritual
belief, someone is recording your many unwitnessed acts of kindness
and devotion to the person with dementia. JUST THE FACTS FOR the FAMILY CAREGIVER1. | Dementia is a common disorder in people over age 65 (10%),
and very common in those over age 85 (47%). | 2. | Alzheimer’s disease only affects the brain and the
patient may remain physically healthy. | 3. | The average life expectancy of an Alzheimer’s patient
is about 10 years. | 4. | Most Alzheimer patients receive care from family (70%). | 5. | Family pays for most long-term care of dementia patients. | 6. | Management of the dementia patient is easier when the caregiver
understands intellectual and psychiatric symptoms of the disease. | 7. | Early treatment for Alzheimer’s disease slows admission
to nursing homes by 2 years. | 8. | Many dementia patients develop hallucinations (25%) and
delusions (30%) that improve with medication. | 9. | End-stage patients rarely benefit from feeding tube insertion,
i.e., PEG tubes, or other extreme medical measures. | 10. | Alzheimer’s disease destroys the brain and the mind;
however, the soul remains intact for each human being afflicted
with this disorder. |
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