Caregiving can be very tough, especially when you go it alone. And, because our focus is the well-being of our friend or family member, often, we forget to take care of ourselves, to the extent we don't even realize when we really do need to ask for help. Unfortunately, there's a deadly price to pay for ignoring our basic human needs, according to a recent study of spouses who cared for their partners stricken with dementia.

After studying the health of more than 1,200 married couples (age 65 and older) living in Utah over 12 years, scientists discovered spouses of patients who had been previously diagnosed with dementia were six times more likely to succumb to this mind-robbing condition than those without an affected partner.

Even worse, the risk of declining memory was comparable to that of the well-known APOE gene variant, already associated with Alzheimer's disease. (This tracks with earlier, smaller studies that found spouses who served as caregivers demonstrated greater memory issues than those who weren't caregivers.)

Although scientists aren't sure why this link with dementia exists, they believe stress levels have an impact on the brain health of caregivers nonetheless. But you CAN do something about better managing your stress, and my checklist, culled from an number of outstanding sources, can help you.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 495-500, May 6, 2010

ScienceDaily May 5, 2010

healthfinder.gov May 5, 2010