Just saw this dementia article and i wanted to share it with you all!

Learn How Dementia Care Givers May Face Risks To Their Own Psychological Well Being
by Adam Williamson

Being the carer for a loved one with dementia can be a long, difficult experience. Medical professionals now appreciate the need to look after the carer's health as well as the patient's. In most dementia cases the primary dementia care giver is a family member, often the spouse or a grownup son or daughter. Respite care (or "short break" care) can help both the patient and the primary caregiver.

As time progresses the dementia patient's condition may deteriorate so that more professional and nursing care is required. Sometimes more care can be given in the family home, but quite often it is necessary for the patient to enter a long term care establishment.

Both the patient and the caregiver are at risk of mental illnesses, and medical professionals and social workers should be aware of this. Up to 30% of dementia patients also develop depressive illnesses, and 20% develop anxiety. Other sufferers may have persecution delusions, and other psychotic problems, and this can be very distressing for both patient and caregiver. If the patient is suffering from a mental illness in addition to the dementia this must not go untreated. The patient should be treated for any mental illness independent of his treatment for the dementia.

The main care giver for a dementia patient is often under a great deal of stress themselves, and it is now is well-known that stress can be a trigger for mental illnesses. For example, caregivers may be stressed by the fear that their relative might harm themselves by accidentally starting a fire, or by leaving the gas on. Caregivers can also be stressed by personality changes in their loved ones.

Many carers suffer severe hardship, and sacrifice their careers and personal relationships to care for a loved relative. Carers also suffer from "anticipatory grief," and these feelings and sacrifices can last for many years. It is therefore almost inevitable that caregivers will be at risk of developing psychological problems, including depression and anxiety, and sometimes may even develop physical problems.

Respite care, which is called "short break" in some countries, is very important to protect the well being of the carer. Research has shown that carers who dropped out of respite care programs had much higher levels of depressive illness than those who stayed in the program. Respite care, and in-home help programs have also been shown to delay the point at which the patient needs to enter a long term care home or other institution.

It is unfortunate that despite the proven effectiveness of respite care it can be unavailable for many caregivers. Primary caregivers often find that they have little choice but to struggle on despite facing long-term health risks to their own well being.

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