Watching a loved one sink into Alzheimer's, dementia can be harrowing

— -- Barbara Center has raised four children, but now, at 59, she's helping care for her mother, who has Alzheimer's.

She's also dealing with two elderly aunts in nearby institutions. Both have Alzheimer's, and one is in the final stage of the disease.

"Sometimes it is really hard," says the Springdale, Ark., resident. She says she has seen her 86-year-old mother, Vera Romine, become more confused and difficult.

Center is one of 10 million Americans who struggle with the task of caring for a relative with Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia, according to the Chicago-based Alzheimer's Association.

Family caregivers help out with household chores and perform all kinds of services, including personal care. One in four caregivers have the equivalent of a full-time unpaid job: They're spending at least 40 hours a week providing services to a loved one, the association says.

Caregivers who don't get any relief can develop anxiety and depression and are prone to getting sick themselves, says Jan Busby-Whitehead, a spokeswoman for the American Geriatrics Society.

Alzheimer's often forces caregivers to step in and make decisions for a relative who's showing signs of impairment, says Larry Wright, director of the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education in Springdale.

About two years ago, after her mother ran a red light and got into a minor fender-bender, Center had to take away the car keys.

Her mother disagreed with the decision. "She got very angry," says Center, adding that her mother still insists she is a safe driver.

Kathryn Betts Adams, a researcher at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, says people with Alzheimer's and their family members will try to stick with familiar routines. Even as the confusion gets worse, they'll deny that a problem exists.

Center found that out the hard way.

She already had been providing care for her aunt with Alzheimer's when Romine, who had already been showing signs of confusion, was diagnosed about a year ago. Center thought she knew how to handle the situation.