TOLEDO, Ohio — Caring for a loved one can be tough. Especially if that loved one is living with some form of Alzheimer's.
It also can really take its toll on the caregivers who provide support 24/7.
One caregiver, Alice Childs of Sylvania, told WTOL 11 that the daily challenges are never-ending.
Not only does she have to help her loved one with basic things like taking a shower, but it also takes a toll on her energy and she gets less sleep.
"It takes a toll on you, it does. I feel like I've aged, you know, caring for him because it's wearing,” Childs said.
Childs is a caregiver for her husband, Mike, who has been living with Alzheimer's for about 5 and a half years.
"Sometimes I just come back home and take a nap because there's times he's up all night long, which in turn has me up all night," Childs said. "So then I'm really dragging. I've noticed my caffeine intake has increased dramatically."
MemoryLane Care Services on Reynolds Road in Toledo is an adult day health center.
It offers services for people who need extra care and a caring environment for people who have some form of cognitive impairments related to Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
"But we can also help the caregiver get some rest, get a break, get a chance to go to work by coming to the adult day center," Cheryl Conley, social services director with MemoryLane Care Services said. "And then we have lots of programs to help caregivers learn about the changes.”
And, the help is two-fold for the Childs' family. Mike utilizes the day services at least twice a week.
"The people that are here are like him and then obviously they have nurses here on a full staff," Childs said. "They have social workers. So everybody's keyed into their well-being which is just wonderful"
Memorylane Care Services has Caregiver Coffee days where they invite caregivers to share their experiences. To find out more, click here.