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Navigating Dementia 101: Understanding the Journey

September 30 2025
Caregiver Resources Planning Resources Memory Care
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A woman caregiver holding hands with a senior woman.

Dementia can feel overwhelming — whether you’re a family caregiver or supporting a loved one from a distance. To help demystify this complex condition, Watermark hosted Navigating Dementia 101, the second webinar in our dementia series. Our panel included dementia-certified experts Leanne Collins (Director of Integrative Care at Watermark) and Maureen Garvey (Regional Director of Resident Experience at Watermark), alongside Kathy, who shares her personal experience caring for her mother living with Alzheimer’s disease.

What is Dementia?

Many people use “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s” interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Dementia describes a collection of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and communication, while Alzheimer’s is the most common cause. 

Types of Dementia:

  • Lewy Body Dementia: Fluctuating alertness, visual hallucinations, movement challenges.
  • Vascular Dementia: Can occur after strokes or when blood flow to the brain is reduced, affecting thinking and mood.
  • Frontotemporal Dementia: Personality changes, impulsiveness, or language difficulties.
  • Parkinson’s Disease Dementia: Slowed thinking, hallucinations, and movement challenges.
  • Huntington’s Disease Dementia: A Genetic condition with involuntary movements, mood swings, and cognitive decline.
  • Mixed Dementia: A combination of types with varying symptoms.

Understanding the type of dementia can help you anticipate your loved one's needs and find effective strategies to support them.

Recognizing the Stages of Dementia

Dementia progresses differently for everyone, but it’s often described in three stages:

  1. Mild (Early) Stage: Subtle memory lapses, difficulty with complex tasks, slight personality changes, or social withdrawal.
  2. Moderate (Middle) Stage: Increased confusion, assistance with daily tasks, mood swings, sleep changes, and repetitive behaviors.
  3. Severe (Late) Stage: Significant memory loss, communication difficulties, challenges with eating or walking, and full-time care needs.
“Give yourself grace throughout these stages,” advises Leanne Collins. Planning ahead and seeking support early can make a meaningful difference.
A smiling resident with their caregiver.

Communication Strategies

Supporting someone with dementia starts with effective communication. Key approaches include:

  • Mind your approach: Adjust tone, volume, and style to create calm, supportive interactions.
  • Use structured questions: Yes/no questions are easier to process than open-ended ones.
  • Be specific: Use names and concrete references rather than pronouns.
  • Practice patience: Allow extra time for processing; accept repeated stories without correction.
  • Enter their reality: Focus on emotions rather than facts.
  • Allow emotional expression: Validate frustration, sadness, or anger.
  • Redirect gently: Change topics or environment if tension rises.
  • Leverage nonverbal cues: Eye contact, gentle touch, and gestures can convey meaning.
  • Active listening: Minimize distractions and reflect back what you hear.

Communication is not about correcting—it’s about connection, comfort, and validation.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Small adjustments in daily routines and the environment can improve comfort and reduce anxiety:

  • Use distractions and redirection: Music or simple tasks can lift mood.
  • Simplify daily tasks: Warm bathrooms, manageable meals, consistent but flexible routines.
  • Encourage hydration: Offer small amounts frequently, preferably in favorite cups or straws.
  • Watch for cues: Pay attention to signs of discomfort and adjust accordingly.
  • Care for yourself: Flexibility, patience, and self-care benefit both caregiver and loved one.

Even minor adjustments, like using a favorite mug or playing familiar music, can make daily life more comfortable.

When to Seek Help

Knowing when to get extra support can be challenging. Consider additional care if:

  • Safety concerns: Getting lost, unsafe driving, leaving appliances on, or going outside improperly dressed.
  • Changes in self-care: Neglect of hygiene, grooming, or medications.
  • Caregiver limits: Feeling overwhelmed or unable to provide consistent support.

Resources: GUIDE Program, adult day programs, support groups, and planning with healthcare or financial powers of attorney.

Asking for help is a strength, not a failure. Respite and guidance benefit everyone involved.

Two people are shopping at a farmers' market.

Finding Joy in Everyday Moments

Joy doesn’t have to be big or perfectly planned; it often emerges in small, meaningful gestures:

  • Reconnect with passions: Gardening, walks, baking, or spending time with animals can engage senses and evoke memories. Even partial participation, like kneading dough, can spark happiness.
  • Embrace imperfection: A rainy day or unplanned detours can still create connection and delight.
  • Provide purpose and value: Letting someone feel expert or needed fosters accomplishment. (Kathy asked her mom if she could help her pick out paint swatches to paint her living room, even though she had no intention of painting.)
  • Focus on possibilities, not risks: Flexibility and creativity often uncover unexpected joy.

Joy comes from thoughtful attention to what has mattered most in someone’s life, and creating opportunities for connection, purpose, and sensory engagement.

People in a cooking class.

Caring for someone with dementia is a journey that blends patience, creativity, and empathy. While challenges are inevitable, small adjustments in communication, daily routines, and meaningful engagement can improve quality of life for both the individual and their caregivers. By understanding the condition, anticipating needs, and seeking support when necessary, caregivers can help loved ones feel safe, valued, and joyful in the midst of change. 

View more dementia resources or fill out the form below to learn more from one of our team members. 

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