Caregivers report that one of their greatest needs is for emotional support, second only to the need for time off. Many have no one to talk to about the problems they face in caring for a demented family member. The guilt, loss, and grief are especially difficult to express. Caregivers frequently feel that others do not truly understand the extent of care required. Visits from other family members greatly ease the sense of bur­den. Family members and friends are by far the most common sources of emotional support, although support groups and professionals may assist in relieving feelings of isolation.Perhaps the most important and valuable coping strategy is the arrangement of an adequate amount of time off to run errands and to engage in recreational and social activities. The research is quite clear that individuals who do not obtain a sufficient amount of time away from the responsibilities of caregiving feel a much greater sense of burden and have less success managing their emotional and physical health. Respite care and day care are valuable in this regard. Although community respite day care have been difficult to find in the past, many cities now have excellent day care programs specifically designed to meet the special need of Alzheimer patients. If your community does not offer such services, perhaps your local Alzheimer support group can help to develop special day programs

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