Being a family caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease requires the caregiver to put the care recipient first, often to the detriment of their own health. Unfortunately, it is common for family caregivers to provide care without any support. It can be difficult to ask for help, especially for family caregivers who feel like it is their sole duty to look after their loved one. The best way to help a caregiver is to lighten their workload, allowing them to have a better quality of life.

Here are 5 ways you can support a caregiver:

1. Run an errand. Take some of the load off a caregiver’s plate by offering to make a pharmacy or grocery store run. It may seem like an insignificant thing to do but this gesture could mean the world to an overwhelmed caregiver. One 15-minute store run could give them a precious window of time to relax or do something else.
2. Provide a meal. This could be breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack, or even a latte from their favorite coffee shop. Check in with the caregiver to confirm any dietary restrictions. You could cook or order a meal to be delivered. Also, providing frozen meals allows the caregiver to use them when convenient.

3. Be a friend. Family caregivers are at a higher risk of feeling isolated and depressed. Providing emotional and social support is just as important as providing tangible support. A phone call or text message to check in and provide a listening ear may be just what someone needs to feel noticed and valuable.

4. Help arrange respite care. Provide a way for the caregiver to have some free time away from their care recipient. Offer to personally provide care for an hour or even a day. If it’s in your ability (and if the caregiver agrees) you could hire an aide to provide care.

5. Ask them. Although some needs are universal, every caregiver’s experience is unique. Whereas one caregiver may benefit from financial support, another may feel supported by having an accountability partner to help them manage their own health. The best way to know how to support a caregiver is to ask.

If you know a family caregiver, they may qualify to participate in the PAAD2 study — a research opportunity investigating the relationship between physical activity and Alzheimer’s disease. Only together can we hope to find a way to beat this terrible disease.