As a caregiver, you may wish to track the changes your loved one experiences as a result of Alzheimer's disease and how you addressed these changes. The information you record from day-to-day may be helpful when you meet with physicians and providers of adult day services or long-term care. In addition, you may find it helpful to review from time-to-time, to remind yourself of caregiving strategies that have worked.

Many caregivers find it useful to keep a type of symptoms journal. For each day you are tracking, note the following:

Problems or changes in the following areas:

• Memory
• Behavior
• Personality
• Skills
• Other

Caregiving strategies that worked? Strategies that did not work

Activities the patient enjoyed

Any medications the person took that day (include prescriptions, over-the-counter, and herbal remedies):

• Medication name
• Dosage
• When and how many taken daily

Source: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc.

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