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 elder care, that 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, he or she 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. He or she can help walk you through the formal diagnosis process. An Aging Life Care Manager can also help you find resources now and to 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. People with dementia need support and access to others who know what it’s like. Joining a support group of people with early stage dementia is invaluable!
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. There are also other programs and sources of support.
You don’t have to do this alone At Geriatric Resource Services, we understand dementia. Give us a call at 864-271-0011. We’d be happy to help with resources for everyone in the family.
Who can you talk to about this big change in your life?
GRS provides outstanding consultative services. We found the support provided to us essential in dealing with my wife's cognitive problem over the years. The resources the website provides on as an ongoing aid are also very helpful.
Bonnie (and her company) were an enormous help with my mom’s care as she started declining over a 2-year period. Bonnie was there for mom every step of the way with kindness, patience, wisdom and resources. She got us signed up with a terrific sitter agency; helped me move mom from independent living to assisted living; and helped me with lots and lots of confusing paperwork. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
A few years ago, my mother experienced a life-altering fall, and I was faced with navigating the elder care system in search of solutions. After doing an initial round of research and feeling totally overwhelmed, I was fortunate enough to find Bonnie Noble Silberman and her team at GRS, Inc. These professionals KNOW the elder-care industry and helped me make the best decisions possible—in our case moving my mom to an assisted living facility. They also took a holistic approach, getting to know my mother and fully understand our family’s situation in evaluating options. And when things changed, as they always do, Bonnie was there with me every step of the way—advocating for my mom’s best interests, looking for solutions as needs arose, and all along, providing me, the caregiver, with support, information, and sanity checks. Bonnie and her team were always available to me and was especially helpful when it came to accountability measures with providers. Without reservation, I highly recommend Bonnie and the GRS, Inc. team as partners in making important decisions regarding care for seniors.
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!
