Please welcome guest blogger Diane Harrison.

What to Do After a Loved One Is Diagnosed with Dementia

What do you do when a loved one is diagnosed with an incurable disease like dementia? We know that it can be tough to navigate the days following a dementia diagnosis. Emotions are running high, and everyone is wondering how to cope. You may feel overwhelmed by the idea of a terminal illness. Or maybe you’re worried about how you will provide the best care for your loved one. Let’s explore some of your next steps to ensure you can protect your personal wellbeing while supporting your loved one through this difficult time.

Learn About the Disease

Knowing what to expect can help you cope with the uncertainty of a dementia diagnosis. Take the time to learn about your loved one’s disease and create a care plan that works for both of you. For example, Family Caregiver Alliance explains that one of the greatest challenges of caring for someone with dementia is facing the behavioral changes that come with the disease. Being prepared for changes in personality and behavior will help you learn to make accommodations instead of trying to control how your loved one feels and acts.

One great way to learn more about your loved one’s diagnosis is to talk to their doctor. Their behaviors may result from underlying medical conditions or an adverse side effect from a medication. Working with your loved one’s doctor can help you understand the cause behind their behavior and how to best manage the problem.

Explore Treatment Options

While dementia has no cure, treatment can ease symptoms to improve the quality of life for your loved one. Explore their treatment options so you can help them feel their best. For example, it’s important to identify and treat other health conditions that can worsen dementia symptoms, such as diabetes, hearing loss, and chronic pain.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Alzheimer’s causes cognitive and memory impairments that worsen over time, with no known cause or cure. Typically, people with Alzheimer’s experience disorientation, behavioral changes, impaired judgment, and hallucinations, but symptoms vary by individual and stage of the disease. Medication as well as holistic treatments—such as memory training and cognitive behavioral therapy—can help your loved one manage their symptoms.

Establish Your Own Coping Strategies

As a caregiver your wellbeing is directly tied to your ability to support and care for your loved one. Working yourself into a state of burnout won’t help anyone. As soon as you learn about your loved one’s diagnosis, work on a personal self-care plan that will help you cope as the disease progresses.

How are you going to adjust to your loved one’s change in behavior? Accept your feelings as they come and try to recognize that they are normal. Make time for your health, whether this means eating proper meals, exercising, or finding ways to relax and unwind. Practicing self-care will give you the energy to continue providing high-quality care to your loved one.

Look for Support

Support is invaluable for caregivers. Joining a support group can help you access advice and encouragement to help you get through the tough times ahead. You’ll pick up new coping skills for dealing with your own emotions and strategies for managing your loved one’s symptoms. At the very least, hearing the stories of others will help you feel less alone. If you can’t find a local support group to attend, look online! You’ll find countless online forums, websites, and membership pages dedicated to dementia caregiver support.

Support can also come as valuable local services that help ease the burden of caring for an ailing loved one. The fact is you don’t have to do everything on your own. Hire a once-a-week cleaning service to help keep your home tidy. Sign up for a food delivery service so you get fresh and delicious meals all the time. If you’re moving homes, explore Angi.com to find professional movers in your area that can help you from packing to doing the heavy lifting and even storage.

If you care for someone who was recently diagnosed with dementia, it’s normal to experience a range of difficult emotions. Learning about the disease, developing a self-care strategy, and turning to support groups will help a lot! Most importantly, go easy on yourself. You are just one person, and you can only do so much. Finding a balance between caring for your loved one and respecting your needs is essential.

Looking for more dementia care information? Check out the Resources page of Tracy Cram Perkins’ website for a comprehensive list of resources that can help you prepare for your role as a caregiver and overcome any challenges that come up along the way.

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ABOUT DIANE HARRISON

Diane Harrison spent 15 years as a librarian. During that time she found that a lot of the help she gave was for sources of medical information both via further reading and online research.