HOW AARP'S RESOURCES HELP CAREGIVERS, OVERCOME STIGMA OF DEMENTIA, CREATE AN EMERGENCY PLAN, (3612 hits)
For Immediate Release From AARP!
Your loved one’s needs don’t take a summer break.The days may be longer, but your to-do list isn’t any shorter. From traveling with or running errands for Mom, to making sure Dad is eating well, you’ve got a lot on your shoulders. We’re here to help lighten the load.At AARP Family Caregiving, we can help you find caregiving resources in your area. We also provide expert advice, answers and support — helping you take on today and every day for your loved one.
FIND RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES THIS SUMMER AND BEYOND HERE!
Overcoming the Stigma of Dementia and Isolation of Caregiving
After Joanne moved her 83-year-old mother into her home, she was delighted her friends embraced the two of them as part of their close social circle. Over the next few years, however, as Mom's memory and language skills got steadily worse, those friends began to drift away. Joanne found she and her mother received fewer invitations to join the group for Friday night dinners or holiday get-togethers. When she'd call the friends, they'd be unfailingly friendly, inquire about Mom's health and then waffle about making plans. Joanne eventually concluded they were avoiding her — because of cruel stigma toward dementia.
Stigma is defined as a “mark of shame.” When we stigmatize people, we engage in discrimination against them because of their backgrounds, attributes or circumstances, such as dire medical illnesses. By steering clear of people with stigmatized diseases, such as AIDS, schizophrenia and even cancer, it's as if we are trying to protect ourselves from “catching” their conditions. The same type of stigmatization has occurred with dementia as our society ages and more Americans
No one wants to contemplate the possibility of a natural disaster striking the area where an older loved one lives — but it's wise to consider what to do in such instances before an emergency happens.
After all, hurricanes, tornados, fires, floods and other disasters could happen at any time. And given the increasing frequency and severity of intense weather-related events and other so-called natural disasters, it may not be a case of if, but when.
It's a mistake to assume someone else has established a disaster preparedness plan ahead of time. In a 2015 study involving more than 1,300 older adults, researchers from the University of Iowa found that only 34 percent reported participating in an educational program or reading information about disaster preparedness.
El cuidado de los seres queridos en una emergencia
Nadie quiere contemplar la posibilidad de que ocurra un desastre natural en el área donde vive un ser querido mayor, pero es prudente considerar qué hacer en esos casos antes de que se produzca una emergencia.
Después de todo, en cualquier momento pueden ocurrir huracanes, tornados, incendios, inundaciones y otros desastres. Y dada la creciente frecuencia y gravedad de los eventos intensos relacionados con el clima y los desastres naturales, puede que la pregunta no sea si sucederán o no, sino cuándo.
Es un error suponer que otra persona ya ha creado con anticipación un plan de preparación para desastres. En un estudio del 2015 (en inglés) de más de 1,300 adultos mayores realizado por investigadores de University of Iowa, solo el 34% de las personas encuestadas dijeron que habían participado en un programa educativo o leído información sobre cómo prepararse para un desastre.