
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Anyone caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease likely can relate to former first lady Nancy Reagan, who called the illness suffered by former President Ronald Reagan “a truly long, long goodbye.”
Mrs. Reagan, who died Sunday at age 94, was a tireless advocate for Alzheimer’s patients and their families, recalls Mayo Clinic neurologist Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., who knew the Reagans well. “In many respects, Mrs. Reagan was the optimal caregiver, providing love and support for the president in a fashion similar to many other Americans whose families deal with this difficult diagnosis.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Susan Barber Lindquist, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu.
In 2015, an estimated 5.3 million Americans had Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. As the disease progresses, once-simple tasks become difficult or impossible.
Practical tips can help your loved maintain a sense of independence and dignity.
To limit challenges resulting from Alzheimer’s:
To keep your loved one with Alzheimer’s safe:
Caring for the Caregiver
Alzheimer's caregivers need all the support they can get. If you know someone who's caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease, here's how to help:
Be specific when you offer help:
If you want to support a friend caring for a loved one, make a concrete offer. For example:
Check in with the caregiver:
Sending a card or calling a caregiver can be a meaningful way to show support. Emails and text messages work, too; however, personal visits can be better. Contact with the outside world can lift a caregiver's spirits.
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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.
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