• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Parman & Easterday

Oklahoma Estate Planning Attorneys

Call Now: (405) 843-6100

Attend an Education Program-OK
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • What Our Clients Say
  • Estate Planning
    • Asset Protection
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • IRA and Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Powers of Attorney
    • Probate
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration and Probate
    • Young Families
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Elder Law
    • Emergency Medicaid
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veteran’s Benefits
  • Resources
    • Asset Protection Worksheet
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
      • Elder Law Reports
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Edmond Elder Law
        • Oklahoma City Elder Law
        • Overland Park Elder Law
        • Yukon Elder Law
      • Medicaid
      • Nursing Home Resources
    • Estate Planning
      • An Overview of Estate and Gift Taxes
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Alzheimer’s FAQs
      • Asset Protection Planning
      • Estate Planning
      • Elder Law
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Inheritance Planning for Minors
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Nursing Home Asset Protection
      • Probate
      • Trust Administration
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills and Trusts
    • Newsletters
    • Probate and Trust Administration
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • Probate Checklist
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
    • Probate Resources
      • Midwest City Probate
      • Moore Probate
      • Oklahoma City Probate
      • Overland Park Probate
    • Published Books
    • Pre Consultation Form
  • Communities We Serve
    • Edmond
    • Midwest City
    • Moore
    • Norman
    • Oklahoma City
    • Yukon
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • BLOG
  • Contact Us
Home » Elder Law » Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s

Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s

July 7, 2020 by Larry Parman, Attorney at Law

If you are providing unpaid care for a family member or loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease it may seem as though no one else can possibly understand what you are going through. The truth, however, is that millions of people are currently providing unpaid care to loved ones with Alzheimer’s – and they pay a price for providing that care. Studies tell us that unpaid caregivers for those who have Alzheimer’s or other dementia are more likely to have higher levels of stress hormones, reduced immune function, new hypertension, and new heart disease than non-caregivers.  An Overland Park elder law attorney at Parman & Easterday offers guidance for those who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Most people associate Alzheimer’s disease with dementia and the loss of memory. While those are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s, the disease is considerably more complicated. According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain’s nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in loss of memory, deterioration of thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes. These neurons, which produce the brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, break connections with other nerve cells and ultimately die. For example, short-term memory fails when Alzheimer’s disease first destroys nerve cells in the hippocampus, and language skills and judgment decline when neurons die in the cerebral cortex. Unlike many other diseases, such as AIDS, experts do not believe Alzheimer’s has a single cause. Instead, they believe the disease is multi-faceted with a number of factors influencing the development of the disease. Scientists are currently focusing on amyloid and tau proteins, whose malformation are classic characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease; however, other factors likely help determine who develops the disease, including vascular health, inflammation, lifestyle, and possibly even viral causes. To illustrate how prevalent Alzheimer’s has become in recent years, consider the following facts and figures:

  • Someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s every 65 seconds.
  • 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
  • Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.
  • An estimated 5.8 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s.

Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s

Eighty-three percent of the help provided to older adults in the United States comes from family members, friends, or other unpaid caregivers. Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. If you are among the more than 16 million people providing unpaid care to someone with Alzheimer’s, your selfless caregiving is likely taking its toll on you physically, mentally, and financially. Before you reach a point of complete burnout, do yourself and your loved one a favor and set limits. You won’t be any good to anyone if you push yourself past those limits.  Plan for time off as well. If possible, take at lest one entire day each week off to recharge.

In addition, reach out for support and help. There are Alzheimer support groups in just about every community that can provide you with both practical resources and much needed emotional support. You should also reach out to other family members for help. Although they may not be able or willing to provide the level of care you are, they may be able to take over for a day, provide transportation, or even cook meals. You may also be able to turn to professional caregivers for assistance.  Most Medicaid programs will cover in-home professional healthcare services for Alzheimer patients which can be an invaluable resource.

For those suffering from Alzheimer’s, the reality is that it is not a question of “if,” but of “when” long-term care will be needed. At some point, it will no longer be safe for your loved one to remain in his/her home, or even in your home. Start looking into your options for LTC early on so when the time comes you have a plan in place.

Contact an Overland Park Elder Law Attorney

For additional information, please join us for an upcoming FREE seminar. If you have questions or concerns about caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, contact an experienced Overland Park estate planning attorney at Parman & Easterday by calling 405-843-6100 to schedule your appointment today.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Larry Parman, Attorney at Law
Larry Parman, Attorney at Law
Founder and Owner at Parman & Easterday
After helping his own family deal with a lengthy probate and the IRS following his father’s untimely death in a farm accident, Larry Parman made a decision to help families create effective estate plans designed to reduce taxes, minimize legal interference with the transfer of assets to one’s heirs, and protect his clients’ assets from predators and creditors.
Larry Parman, Attorney at Law
Latest posts by Larry Parman, Attorney at Law (see all)
  • Special Needs Planning: Life Enhancements With No Loss of Benefits - May 19, 2022
  • Five Ways a Trust Can Be Better Than a Will - May 17, 2022
  • Do All Estate Transfers Go Through Probate? - May 12, 2022

Filed Under: Elder Law

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Medicaid planning
Does Medicare Pay for Nursing Home Care?
incapacity planning
Address End of Life Challenges When You Are Planning Your Estate
elder care planning
Medicaid Planning: Five Key Facts
child caregiver exemption
Things You Need to Know About Medicaid Estate Recovery
Medicaid planning long-term care costs
Oklahoma City Nursing Home Costs Skyrocketed in 2021
Medicaid planning
An Overview of Medicaid Protections for the Healthy Spouse

Primary Sidebar

Parman & Easterday, LLP

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Where We Are

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
13913 Quail Pointe Drive, Suite B
Oklahoma City, OK 73134
Phone: (405) 843-6100
Fax: (405) 917-7018

MAP

parman_sidbr_map

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Footer

footer-logo

The information on this Oklahoma Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys


© 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube