Dementia

Dementia is a fairly common disease among older people, and the number of diagnosed cases rises more and more each day. Memory loss can cause a person to need constant care, which can become difficult for friends and family members of the person who is suffering from the condition.

If you are related to someone with dementia, you may feel a certain responsibility to care for them. However, you also need to be looked after and supported yourself – it’s not an easy job, and it can become overwhelming at times. As such, here are some tips on where to find help and support when caring for someone with dementia.

Join a Local Support Group

There will be local support groups in your area for almost anything and everything, including carers. Even if you are not exactly a full-on carer for someone with dementia, you might need support regardless. These kinds of support and social groups often have people in similar situations that you can relate to, and it can help your mental health knowing you aren’t the only one; a problem shared is a problem halved, after all.

You can easily find local support groups online – they might be a website or a Facebook page, or there may even be posters in a community hall or church in your area. Of course, at first, you might be nervous, but this will once wear off when you realize you have found people like you who can offer advice and support.

Find a Dementia Living Community

Unfortunately, everyday life can get in the way of looking after loved ones. You may have a new or demanding job, your own family, and your social life to also consider. This is why many people caring for a loved one with dementia start looking for different living arrangements so that they can live more comfortably and receive the care they need.

To start, you can go online and search the term ‘dementia care near me,’ and that will bring up local care facilities. This will help you figure out the best care homes near you, which will help you decide which ones deserve to be on your shortlist.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to put your loved one in a living facility yet because they are still able to live independently but rather they need check-ins and a small amount of support instead, there are a number of other options.

Instead of a living facility, you can find nurses and professional carers that will check in on your loved one any where from once to several times a day, depending on how much support the person with dementia needs. These kinds of drop-in carers can also be contacted by the person with dementia using a special button in case of an emergency.

In addition, there are other residential living situations you can consider. These are more like apartments that your loved one lives in, so they still retain their independence; however, they have access to 24-hour care as and when needed.

Final Thoughts

Of course, the circumstances and level of care required depends on the person with dementia and their needs and abilities. Ultimately, though, by placing them in a care home, you will have much more peace of mind than you would if they were living on their own.

When they live in a care facility, you can visit whenever you like and still make sure they are okay – which they will be since they’re receiving 24-hour care that ensures their comfort, safety, and quality of life.

Also, living in a care home will help your loved one be less isolated, as they will be surrounded by nurses, carers, and other residents and their family and friends every day – allowing them a better social life than they would have if they were living all alone. This should also put you at ease knowing that they are safer and healthier and that they’re happier and enjoying social interaction and activities with others every day.