Dementia affects more than 6 million Americans and touches millions more friends and family members. Yet too often, caregivers and loved ones feel isolated and overwhelmed. In our recent Watermark webinar, a panel of dementia-care experts shared strategies that help families honor the person behind the diagnosis while finding moments of joy each day. Below, we’ve turned their insights into an easy-to-follow guide you can bookmark and revisit whenever you need a dose of encouragement.
What Is Dementia - and Why It Matters
Dementia is not a single disease but a syndrome - a collection of symptoms (memory loss, language challenges, impaired reasoning) that interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most familiar cause (about two-thirds of cases), yet other conditions - Parkinson’s, vascular changes, Lewy-body disease - can lead to the same umbrella of challenges. Knowing this distinction guides families to the right supports, treatments, and community resources.
You’re Not Alone - Caring for Heart & Mind
Watching someone you love change can be heartbreaking. It’s human to feel grief, fear, relief, or yes, even moments of unexpected peace. There’s the popular phrase, “You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” You need to take care of yourself so you’re better able to care for your loved one.
There will be times when everything feels overwhelming. There are small steps you can take during those times to help you feel more grounded and connected.
1. Check In on Yourself: When stress spikes, take a deep breath, pause, and ask yourself:
- Are you safe? Is your loved one safe?
- Are their immediate needs met?
- Have you shared a moment – however small – with your loved one today?
2. Build Your Circle Early: Invite trusted friends, faith leaders, or therapists into your journey. Online and in-person dementia support groups can become lifelines.
3. Express Yourself: Write in a journal. If that feels like too much of a chore, try a short video diary – speak directly to your phone and save it for later reflection.
Shifting Roles
Longstanding roles – spouse, parent, caretaker – evolve under dementia’s influence. Early on, you may still mourn the person they were, even as you care for their new reality.
- Honor Your Grief: You begin mourning changes long before any final goodbye. Acknowledging sadness, anger, or guilt – and talking through it – helps you find strength.
- Adjust Expectations: Celebrate every effort, however small, rather than lament what’s left undone. If they can still stir cookie batter, let that be a triumph.
- Discover Fresh Connections: Look for new ways to bond, such as a shared song, holding hands in the garden, or a story sparked by a photograph.
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