Q: My wife has Alzheimer’s disease and I am her caregiver. I feel as though I’m losing my best friend one day at a time. On a practical side, I’ve never had to cook or clean before. I want to do it all myself, but sometimes I wonder if I should hire someone to help. What advice do you have for me?

A: My advice would be to enlist help! Hiring help is not a sign of weakness, but rather it is a gift to yourself and to your wife. She may enjoy having conversation and doing activities with another person who is trained in dementia care. You may enjoy having someone help with cleaning, cooking, laundry, and household tasks. While your helper is there, you are free to “do your own thing” and leave without worrying about your wife. Being a caregiver is a 24/7 job and often a caregiver will develop health problems of their own if they don’t have respite. Our Case Managers can meet with you to discuss your options. We also offer a free, in-home assessment to for our home care services. Just give us a call at 507.387.HOME (4663).

Sharon Chader
Licensed Social Worker
schader@freedomhomecarellc.com