Abstract
As the elderly population continues to increase, caring for persons with Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health problem. Although it is obvious that caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease face huge burdens, only recently have these burdens been addressed empirically. This article describes specific stressors that caregivers experience. Recommendations are made for treatment of both the patient and the caregiver and include education, environmental manipulations, behavioral management, and emotional expression. Options for care, including home care, home care with outside assistance, and institutional care, are discussed. Suggestions are made for increased participation by health professionals in the vital role of caring for these patients and their caregivers. Treating both is essential, because their well-being is interdependent.
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