Nurses Provide Vital Care to Alzheimer Patients, and Their Families

By Robert J. Egge, Alzheimer's Association Vice President of Public Policy

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, which traces its origins to November 1983 when then-President Ronald Reagan first signed a proclamation calling the nation's attention to this disease. Today more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's—a degenerative fatal brain disease.

Alzheimer's does not just impact the individual; families can also be quickly overwhelmed by the caregiving demands of the disease. There are now nearly 10 million caregivers dealing with the tremendous emotional, financial, and physical toll of caring for a loved one with the disease. With an aging baby boomer population, Alzheimer's is touching more and more American families.

Caring for a person with Alzheimer's or other dementia poses special challenges. Although memory loss is the most widely known symptom, the disease also causes loss of judgment, orientation, ability to understand and communicate effectively, and, frequently, changes in personality and behavior. Individuals require increasing levels of supervision and personal care, often resulting in high levels of stress and depression for caregivers in the family.

Nurses knowledgeable about the unique challenges of Alzheimer's and dementia care will play a critical role in helping patients achieve the best possible health outcomes. Nurses serve as the bedrock of support for families throughout all stages of the disease. Regardless of the setting—hospital, residential, home or community-based—nurses are trusted advisers for families. Their involvement and engagement help to reduce the stress and burden Alzheimer's disease creates. These exceptional nurses are not only trained to care for the complex health needs of their patients, they are immersed and invested in the lives and futures of these families.  The importance of these nursing professionals cannot be underestimated.

By 2010, there will be nearly a half million new cases of Alzheimer's diagnosed each year, and nurses are the unsung heroes who will continue to play a vital role in caring for Alzheimer patients. Nurses prepared to deal with the unique challenges of caring for a person with Alzheimer's provide invaluable assistance to the individual and peace of mind for the family.  This is why the Alzheimer's Association joins with the Center to Champion Nursing in America in championing the recruitment and  education of nursing professionals to meet the demands of managing chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's.