Caregivers are the unheralded heroes of contemporary society. Not only do they give tirelessly of their time and energy, they also give of their economic resources. Financial assistance is often unavailable until the victim and the caregiver especially if the caregiver is the victim's spouse have exhausted their life savings and other economic assets. With the high costs of long-term care, economic destitution can occur quickly unless the victim resides in a state with liberal requirements regulating eligibility for economic assistance, such as Medicaid, or unless the victim qualifies for veteran's benefits. Even in these states the economic burdens of caregiving are heavy. Thus, it is important that caregivers be aware of all resources available to them and to the victims of the disease.



While often overlooked or under emphasized, services designed for caregivers are perhaps of as great a value as those directly intended for victims of Alzheimer's disease. The burden for caregivers is often quite stressful if not overwhelming. Respite from the stress of caregiving is a major concern for most of them. Short periods of relaxation enable caregivers to provide better service to their loved ones. A valuable service available in some communities is that of respite care, which allows caregivers a short but much needed time away from their caregiving duties. Family members are typically the resource used to provide respite for the primary caregiver. However, for a variety of reasons, this resource is sometimes unavailable. Relatives and friends, who often do not fully understand or comprehend the disease and its multiple ramifications, may avoid both the victim and caregiver and thus be unavailable to provide respite care. The fact that most Alzheimer victims are elderly means that they often have outlived many of their family members while, at the same time, the geographical mobility of our society has frequently placed younger family members at great distances from their elders. Thus, families may not always be available or able to provide respite for the primary caregiver. Community-based respite programs then become all the more valuable.

Most communities also provide some form of family counseling at reduced costs. Often there are educational programs and support groups as well. Support groups are especially beneficial in helping caregivers cope with the multiple stresses and in learning to deal with the physical and mental changes taking place with their loved one. Support groups have, moreover, come to be the organized voice and advocate for Alzheimer victims.