A person experiencing memory loss is, at the least, confused. When we can’t remember and track what’s going on, it’s very confusing. And it can be scary!
Anger and fear are natural responses. People with dementia often don’t recognize they have a problem. They just know that the world is not as they expect it to be.
Personality changes are common, as are changes in behaviors as the disease progresses. For instance, people with middle-stage dementia frequently lose their social inhibitions. They forget the social customs we call manners. This can lead to actions that are embarrassing and very confusing for families.
Research indicates that caring for a person with memory loss is extremely stressful. A diagnosis of dementia, more than other conditions, takes its toll on the family.
Dementia caregivers are much more likely to be depressed. They also are more likely than other caregivers to develop significant health problems.
If your relative has dementia, you need to be extra careful to mind your own health. And you need to develop strategies for coping with stress.
Although working together as a team is optimal in eldercare, it can be challenging in the case of dementia.
In the earlier stages, it is important that the person with dementia be involved in decision making. As the disease progresses, however, they will lose the ability to make reasoned decisions. More than with other conditions, the role of the family will change.
Determining when and how to phase out responsibility for decision making can be difficult. An Aging Life Care™ Manager can give you a sense of the stage of dementia. They can help walk you through the formal diagnosis process. An Aging Life Care Manager can also help you find resources now and plan for the future.
Even if the memory loss condition is not curable, there are things you can do to make daily life more pleasant for all of you.
It’s very important that you reach out and get help. Caring for someone with dementia can be physically and emotionally taxing. Family members need patience, strength, and regular breaks from caregiving. Support groups can be extremely helpful for providing tips about daily life and coping with the stress. They can also tell you about other programs and sources of support.
People with dementia also need support and access to others who know what it’s like. Joining a support group of people with dementia during the early-stage is invaluable for them!
You don’t have to do this alone At Grace Life Care, we understand dementia. Give us a call at 508-888-2898. We’d be happy to help with resources for everyone in the family.
I can't say enough about the calm, steady wisdom and insight that Kerry conveys. She's warm, thorough, and knowledgeable and has given me tremendous peace of mind as I navigate care needs for my Mom.
I am beyond grateful for the comprehensive, compassionate care provided by Grace Life Care, sensitively delivered by founder Kerry Davis and her colleague Maureen Costa. As an out of state caregiver, I was overwhelmed by the challenge of securing care for my mother. Kerry and Maureen combine their medical expertise and expansive network of resources to offer all-encompassing care management services. They are coordinating my mom’s overall medical care. They were instrumental in helping my mom successfully settle into assisted living, ensuring a smooth transition via frequent visits to, and communication with, the assisted living community and providing opportunities for thoughtful engagement in the broader community, where my mom spends time with Maureen one-on-one. I am indebted to them for the support they continue to empathetically provide to my mom (and to me).
Grace Life Care has been such a blessing in my moms and my life. There is absolutely no way I could have navigated the past couple of years without Kerry. Caring for my mom with dementia while living out of state along with being the only family member after my dad and sister passed, has been the most challenging time of my life. She is currently in a Memory Care Facility. Kerry and now Maureen visit weekly and help coordinate care for my mom.I am so thankful for Grace Life Care. Truly angels on earth.
As an attorney I need someone I can trust to assist me in helping elderly clients manage their medical needs when family is not an option. Grace Life Care has handles several clients for me all with positive outcomes.
I have had the pleasure of working professionally with Kerry for quite a few years. Moving to an assisted living community can be overwhelming for a senior navigating the process on their own and also for family members who don't live locally (or do!). Our families who have worked with Kerry are grateful for her knowledge as an RN during medication changes, hospitalizations or other medical concerns. She is an advocate for her clients. If you need help managing the care of an senior relative or yourself, I would recommend calling Kerry to see if she can help!
