Tips After Diagnosis
Top 10 Things to do after a family member has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease
- Inform other family members and involve them in the decision making and planning process. Consider informing the most appropriate family members first, bringing in others as certain needs arise.
- Contact your local Alzheimer's Association chapter and join a support group. www.alz.org
- Seek a lawyer's advice regarding finances, powers of attorney, wills, insurance, and other legal matters.
- Educate yourself and your family about the disease, caregiving needs and options available. Consult resources such as www.lightbridgehealthcare.com, www.alz.org, the LightBridge Enlightened Alzheimer Caregiving CD-ROM series, and all other information you can find.
- Consider your own health-always make sure to take care of yourself.
- Safety proof your house, and restrict the person's access to driving a car.
- Review the state of your loved one's finances, insurance, and health resources.
- Ask your family member's doctors about available medications and explore non-drug treatments.
- Develop a long-term plan of action for treatment and care. Consider whether at-home care, "paid" residential care, or a nursing home works best for you, your family, and your loved one.
- Investigate and consider enrolling your family member in The Safe Return® Program, which helps find people with dementia in the event that they wander off and become lost. Sign up at the following link: http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_safe_return.asp
This information is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice, read more at: http://www.lightbridgehealthcare.com/2838.xml
To learn about LightBridge products, please visit: http://www.lightbridgehealthcare.com/products/cdroms.xml
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