Spend time on the Family Caregiver Alliance website at: http://www.caregiver.org
Of particular interest to Multiple Sclerosis caregivers will be the Family Caregiver Alliance Fact Sheet on Multiple Sclerosis. In addition to common information about MS, the fact sheet includes important information about cognitive problems caused by MS and their impact on caregivers.
For example, “About 50% of people with MS will develop some cognitive problems. Symptoms include a slowed ability to think, reason, concentrate or remember. Only 10% of those who develop cognitive problems experience symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities.”
The factsheet reports the most common cognitive problems include:
- Memory recall, particularly remembering recent events.
- Slowness in learning and processing new information.
- Difficulty with reasoning, such as analyzing a situation, making a plan and follow through.
- Poor judgment.
- Impaired verbal ability, such as slowed speech or difficulty coming up with a needed word during conversation.
While the FCA Factsheet on Multiple Sclerosis will interest MS caregivers, the entire web site of the Family Caregiver Alliance is an incredibly helpful resource for caregivers. Visit http://www.caregiver.com/ and learn more!