Caring for Family Members with Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients Creates Challenges

Jeanne M. West,a registered nurse and health care administrator, writes in a Pennsylvania newspaper of the difficulty providing care for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Despite the fact that West had taught caregiving skills for 20 years, with a particular emphasis on the care of seniors and those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, she found herself challenged when she needed to provide care for her husband who was diagnosed with dementia. West is a past president and board member of the Central Coast Chapter (Santa Barbara, Calif.) of the Alzheimer’s Association.