Does Your Mom Have Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease? What You Can Do To Help

When you are the adult child of a mother with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, it can feel overwhelming and frightening. After all, you likely knew that one day your mother would grow old and possibly become forgetful and senile in her old age. However, what you did not likely plan for is your mom beginning to suffer from Alzheimer's disease when she is in her forties or fifties. While you may still be reeling from the shock of the diagnosis, it is important that you get to know some of the ways that you can help your parent with her new situation and provide her the love and support that she needs.

Help Her Get Into Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is one of the treatment options that many people do not think of for Alzheimer's disease. However, it can be incredibly helpful for this disease. Alzheimer's disease does not just affect a person's memories of faces, people, and the like. It also affects a person's ability to function physically.

Walking and performing other physical tasks may become very difficult for your mother as her early-onset Alzheimer's disease progresses. Helping your mom get into physical therapy and taking her to her sessions or ensuring she does her exercises in between sessions will go a long way to keeping your mom up and moving safely for as long as possible.

Physical therapy can also help keep your mother's muscles from atrophying from inactivity. While this physical exercise and activity is not a cure for the progressive effects of Alzheimer's, it can help to slow the progress and keep your mom healthy and safe for as long as possible. For more information on the benefits of physical therapy, contact a center like Advance Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation.

Be Patient and Kind When She Forgets Things

Alzheimer's disease is not something that your mom can control or help. As much as you know this, you will need to continuously remind yourself of this fact as you spend time with your mother with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. It can hurt your feelings when she forgets your name or treats you like a stranger, but she is not trying to hurt you.

You simply need to do everything that you can to be kind and patient when your mom forgets things and forgets who you are. Take deep breaths and remain calm. Try to put yourself in her shoes so that you can better empathize with her situation. And take a break if you need to do so. The kinder and more understanding you are, the better the time you spend with your mother will be.

With these tips in mind, you can better handle your mother's early-onset Alzheimer's disease and provide her with the help and support that she needs from you.  

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