Alzheimer’s disease affects all members of a patient’s family—including children. In the United States, 250,000 caregivers for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease are between the ages of 8 and 18.
From a very young age, children in families affected by Alzheimer’s can be drawn into physically demanding caregiving tasks, such as meal preparation, assisting with household chores, helping the affected person walk, and more. Children may also be called on to do the emotional work of an adult, helping to manage an affected relative’s aggression or anxiety, communicate with family members about their caregiving arrangements, and provide the relative with emotional support and security.
While caregiving can be difficult under any circumstances, it is especially hard on children providing care for Alzheimer’s patients. Those with Alzheimer’s disease may lack normal inhibitions and behave in disturbing ways around their young caregivers, creating stressful situations which they must learn to navigate—without the emotional maturity of their adult relatives.
No child should be forced to watch a loved one slowly suffer and deteriorate.
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund intends to cure this disease so that they won’t have to. With your help, we can continue to find and fund the research which will one day uncover an effective treatment.
Please click here to donate now and join the fight to end Alzheimer’s.