Suggestions To Help You Cope After An Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Hearing the news of a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (the most common form of dementia) is never easy. It is normal to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. However, receiving accurate information and support can help you know what to expect and what to do next. It’s common to worry about one’s future when someone has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The first and most crucial step in coping with the challenges ahead is to acknowledge your feelings. It may help to talk things over with friends and family, or with a health care professional who understands dementia, which might help you come to terms with your diagnosis sooner than you expect.

After a diagnosis, you must contemplate emotions and relationships, treatments and ways to lead a healthy lifestyle, financial matters and planning for the future, your job (if you are a working professional), driving, and practical and emotional support.

Here are a few suggestions that can help you cope with your recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease:

Take good time to process the news– A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be a bolt from the blue for you and your loved ones, so give yourself enough time to process the news first. You might assume living a quality life is not possible, which is untrue. It (living a quality and productive life) is very much possible with the right tools (accurate information and support) at hand. A diagnosis doesn’t mean you’ll have to right away move to an assisted facility or memory care community. First and foremost you and your loved ones must come to terms with the diagnosis, secondly, consult with a counselor or join a support group for adults living with dementia. Arrive at a decision only after talking to your physician.

Make healthy lifestyle choices– It’s true that there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease currently, but don’t have to lose heart as adopting healthy lifestyle measures (eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, exercising regularly, avoiding alcohol consumption, getting adequate sleep) may slow the progression of the disease. You can try activities like swimming, biking, walking, etc. that can help lower stress. Simultaneously, your diet must comprise fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and whole grains, and should be light on dairy and red meat.

Explore local dementia care options– You’d be glad to know that there are a wide range of memory/Alzheimer’s care options from home care agencies to assisted living facilities that provide assistance with grocery shopping, menu planning, personal care, and light housekeeping. You’d be spoilt for choice when it comes to dementia care options. The key is to finding the right option for you. Explore each option in order to make an informed decision.

It’s also advised that you talk to your lawyer with regards to legal documents like a will, a power of attorney that you’ll need to have in place to ensure your opinion is paid attention to when the time comes for people close to you to make decisions on your behalf. At Anthem Seniors- an award-winning Anthem assisted living facility in the region, our memory care programs are quite popular for their ability to help residents suffering from Alzheimer’s to efficiently cope with the challenges associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Contact us at 602.909.9550 to book a suite today.