Coping With an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: What’s Next for Me and My Family?

Receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis can be a major shock for both yourself and for those around you-especially for the initial period after you have been given the diagnosis. While there are certainly going to be overwhelming moments, there are ways that you can cope with this situation and, hopefully, improve your quality of living along the way. If you're beginning to manifest symptoms of Alzheimer's, here are some tips on how you can cope with the disease and figure out what will be next for you and your family. 

Do your research.

Understanding how Alzheimer's Disease is going to impact your mind and body, as well as your caregivers, is the first step in fully coping with the disease. Some people may have the mindset that if they leave it alone, they can avoid it until it becomes too much to deal with. Although this may be an attractive option for some, it's not the way to take care of the issue and will only serve to prevent you from taking the necessary precautionary measures. Once you receive your diagnosis, make sure to learn everything you can about your disease through resources like the Alzheimer's Research Foundation to better prepare for what is to come throughout the progression of your disease. 

Make plans for the future.

Coming up with a plan for exactly how you and your family will deal with the disease as more symptoms or appear or grow worse can take away a lot of the stress that you would typically experience throughout the duration of your Alzheimer's diagnosis. For example, some of the actions that need to be taken to prepare for the future include taking care of legal planning and financial decisions right when the diagnosis is made, preparing a calm, safe, easy-to-navigate environment for yourself when the disease becomes more aggressive, and consider what may need to happen when you are no longer able to care for yourself and your family may not be able to either, which may require you to take action like checking into a healthcare center in Norwalk, CT. When you know what to expect from your disease and you have a solid plan of action, you can focus more on dealing with your emotions and caring for yourself!

Reach out for help.  

As you may know quite well, dealing with an Alzheimer's diagnosis can be a stressful and emotional experience. While you may have your friends and your family at your side as you navigate this disease, it can be helpful to reach out to a professional who will be able to provide emotional support, valuable insight, and helpful coping mechanisms that you will use as the disease progresses. Additionally, there may be other benefits to behavioral therapy as studies have shown that therapeutic techniques may be more effective than medications used to treat some of the psychological side effects that accompany Alzheimer's. Overall, picking up much-needed coping tools and receiving treatment at the same time can be a helpful way to better deal with your diagnosis. 

While discovering you have Alzheimer's can be a difficult situation to find yourself in (and for your family to cope with as well), there are ways that will make it easier to deal with your condition as the disease progresses. If you have Alzheimer's Disease and you are at a loss when it comes to what you should do next, use the guide above to help you map out your future and work with your emotions.