More than five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. It exacts a heavy toll on the patients as well as their caregivers, because most of the patients live in the community, with family members or alone, rather than in nursing home.

Caregivers spend untold hours of providing uncompensated care.  This means they can only work part-time or leave the workforce entirely. The caregivers’ earnings are reduced; they save less money and have smaller pensions and Social Security payments.  This is the financial squeeze that accompanies the emotional toll of being a caregiver.

Here are resources to help the caregivers through their difficult labors.

The Alzheimer’s Assn. has a virtual library, an important resource for caregivers. From the Assn. site:

“The Green-Field Library, located at the national office of the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, IL, is the nation’s largest library and resource center devoted to increasing knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Find materials in the Green-Field Library collection by searching our Online Catalog. Once you find what you need, learn how to borrow from us.

http://www.alz.org/library/?utm_source=DM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=virtual-library

If you like to do your own searching, here are some resources to help you find research studies, full text articles, reports, analyses and other data. If you have questions about searching or your results, Ask a Librarian.

Tutorials

Databases

http://www.alz.org/library/databases.asp?utm_source=DM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=virtual-library

Someone to talk to: Resources for Caregivers

Being a caregiver can be a hard, lonely, and stressful task. When you need help, professional advice, or just someone to share your thoughts with, someone in the same situation, there are lots of resources.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America has online support groups, discussion boards, and teleconferences. You can connect with other care givers, and with social workers and other professionals.

The link is:

http://carecrossroads.org/cms/index.php

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