wil akeRyfae inte pent Qed vitaptbve on uct nes ‘ade cach ‘inp ona Sheyayhe nui “taly a “wt aMey &ba ey TB ee ieBut res esd wih ine Mise ‘ton Tracd named Nae a walCa resin * aneeach meapne wee msna “Study: Alzheimer’Ss Caregivers Often Forced To CompromiseTheir Jobs To Cope With Disease (NAPSA)—More than four mil- lion Americans have Alzheimer’s disease—and that number is expected to increase more than threefold (to 14 million) by 2050, unless a cure or preventive agent is found. However, the illness affects many more people than the individuals who actually have the progressive brain disorder. Family members often must play the role as caregiver—a position that fre- quently requires so much personal time that it negatively affects employment, causing increased absenteeism to outright job loss. In fact, according to a recent study, caregivers estimate that the task of looking after an Alzheimer’s patient takes an average of 46 hours a week. In the study, the likelihood of a negative impact on employment increased with the number of hours required for caregiving duties. For example, about a third of study participants who reported spending less than 10 hours per week on caregiving said their employment was negatively affected in some way. Among those who reported spending 70 or more hours per week on caregiving, approximately two-thirds experienced a negative impact. “Employers nationwide must examine how they can help the increasing number of employees whoare struggling to balance work and caregiver responsibilities,” says Jeffrey Markowitz, Dr.Ph., lead author of the study and adjunct assistant professor at the Columbia University School of Public Health. While available treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are nota For many Alzheimer’s caregivers, there often aren’t enough hoursin the week. cure, they can slow progression of symptoms and, as a result, may reduce burden on the caregiver. Recent research has found that Reminyl (galantamine hydrobromide), the most recently approved treatment for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, can reduce the amount of time required of caregivers to assist patients. A separate study found that a significantly greater proportion of people caring for patients treated with Reminyl reported a maintenance of, or a reduction in, the amount of time spent assisting the patient with activities of daily living. The most common side effects of Reminyl include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and weight loss. They are usually mild and temporary. For more information, including full prescribing information for Reminyl, visit www.reminyl.com or call 1-866-REMINYL (1-866-7364695). In addition, you can learn more about Janssen’s support program for family caregivers, Sharing Care”, at www.sharingcare.com.
