Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/610563
72 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP but patients need continual supervision. ey need help with simple activities like eating, dressing and bathing. And if you turn away for a moment, they could wan- der off or fall. e costs of dementia oen have to be paid by the children of these patients. I got a taste of the seriousness of this problem the other day, when George, a good friend of mine, met me for lunch to discuss something that has been nagging at him, and is just getting worse. His moth- er is in the first stages of dementia. She lives alone and has been able to take care of herself, except that she can't drive any more. She was beginning to get lost when she went out driving, and one time a state trooper had to drive her home. en her driver's license was taken away from her. George is concerned about what hap- pens next. "My sister and I don't know what to do," he said. e issue is compli- cated by the fact that his mother never learned to speak English well, and now his father has le her. "My dad got fed up and went back to the old country two weeks ago," he said. "He refuses to come back and take care of her." "She's stubborn," he said. "I'm always worried that she'll get back in her car and get caught without a valid driver's license. And I worry about her taking care of her- self. We've talked about paying someone to come by from time to time, but it's hard to find anyone who can speak her language." "We've been thinking of selling her house and putting her into an apartment, but she can't be alone," he continued. He's priced out assisted living facilities for peo- ple with dementia. "I had no idea how ex- pensive they are," he said. "We can't afford it." To say George was anguished and distraught would be an understatement. He was in urgent need of advice. I recom- mended that he should read e Caregiv- ers Toolbox, which is a superb resource for anyone dealing with a loved-one who has a serious illness. I had just finished reading the book. One of the authors is Carolyn P. Hartley who has written nearly 20 books on health published by the American Medical As- sociation, American Dental Association and the American Society of Clinical On- cology. Her co-author is Peter Wong who has advised senior-level management on healthcare and financial services for the past 25 years. ere are 36.5 million people in the United States who have been thrust into the role of amateur caregiver. In their in- troduction, the authors start on an upbeat note. "ank God for you!" they say. "Your care contributes more than $572 billion per year in unpaid clinical support. at number is rising because of people living longer (hat off to the Boomers) but there are fewer people to manage care." It's very demanding work. "If you are like the average caregiver, you spend about 22 hours a week providing support," the authors write. But there is help, if you look for it. ose hours can be minimized a lit- tle through "medications, exercise, access to care, long-term care insurance for home- based care or the rapid expansion of the home health agencies," they write. Even families who have not dealt with the problems of aging spouses and parents can benefit from this book. Time passes too quickly, and no one is immune from the process of ag- ing. One message of e Caregivers Toolbox is to plan in advance, before things become desper- ate. Take a little time to do your homework. ink about what you'll need to do, and orga- nize for it. Believe me, you won't regret it. n