Men face some unique challenges in caring for a wife or parent with Alzheimer’s. They are often forced to learn new skills and behaviors, which have not been required.

Becoming a caregiver may include taking over many of the tasks which women traditionally perform, such as shopping, meal planning, cooking, laundry, and even intimate personal help with bathing and dressing. As dementia progresses, responsibilities increase which may translate into frustration and stress, especially if a man has competing demands, lacks support, or is experiencing his own physical problems.

Support groups offer a forum for exchanging information and social outlets (a sense of not being alone) for people who are experiencing similar situations. Practical, immediate, relevant information is often available at these meetings. For example, how do other husbands manage finances, household chores, and the unique supervision of wives with dementia? Remember, problems you face as a male caregiver are probably problems that others have faced before you. Their suggestions may be applicable to your situation, or may trigger your own ideas about possible approaches.

Take Care of Yourself
Helping someone cope with dementia while you learn to meet the demands of caregiving can seem to occupy all your time and energy. Get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly, maintain social and church connections, reflect, talk to people about your concerns, and remember it is okay to laugh, too.

Continue to do the things which have always given you pleasure; both you and the person you are caring for will benefit.

The Alzheimer’s Association Houston Southeast Texas Chapter has a group that can substitute, in part, for lost social contacts. Group members have a firm knowledge of what you are experiencing. The meeting can be a place where problem solving can occur, and where feelings of frustration, grief, despair, discovery, acceptance, and even humor can be expressed. Realizing that others have faced similar problems and discovering ways to handle them can make your problems more manageable.