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 eldercare, it 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, they 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 eldercare consultant can give you a sense of the stage of dementia. They can help walk you through the formal diagnosis process. An eldercare consultant can also help you find resources now and 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. 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 for providing tips about daily life and coping with the stress. They can also tell you about other programs and sources of support.
People with dementia also need support and access to others who know what it’s like. Joining a support group of people with dementia during the early-stage is invaluable for them!
You don’t have to do this alone At LionHeart Eldercare & Consulting, we understand dementia. Give us a call at 703-677-8319. We’d be happy to help with resources for everyone in the family.
If you are looking for help with a vulnerable loved one, look no further. When a nursing home told me, the only family member and newly minted POA for mother, that they thought a care manager would help I thought they didn’t know me well enough yet-I manage my own solo private practice and pride myself on caring for loved ones. I had NO IDEA what I was in for the past 2 years and Lionheart (Bianca in particular, a total saint and godsend) has been there with creative, compassionate, and kind solutions every step of the way. Bianca has found ways to help my mother and I that I didn’t even know existed. They are the BEST.
I highly recommend LionHeart Eldercare Consulting. They are a compassionate, caring group of consultants with a wealth of experience, advice, and resources. As the primary caregiver for a loved one with dementia, I often have contacted them for guidance, and they have responded quickly with exactly what I have needed. I cannot praise them enough.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about LionHeart. My husband’s Assisted Living could no longer serve his needs & they wanted him to leave ASAP. LionHeart had the expertise, compassion & wisdom to find the RIGHT place that more than fit his needs and level of care within budgetary constraints. He is very happy there & the care is outstanding. They were also very kind & caring to me. It was my lucky 🍀 day when Colleen of LionHeart was the first agency to return my call on a very bleak day.Thanks & More Thanks! 💗
LionHeart staff helped us identify a quality and caring assisted living community that fit our budget. My dad loves looking out his new bedroom window, watching people and dogs and cars.
During my husband's most recent, and most serious illness, the depth of knowledge of Colleen Duewel, Certified Eldercare Consultant of Lionheart Eldercare Consulting was a true blessing as I navigated the complicated territory of Long Term Health Care, care facilities, Medicare, legal matters - and so on. I highly recommend this company. The invaluable expertise and kindness of Colleen and staff comes at a time when we need it most.
LionHeart Eldercare has been a terrific help in planning for recovery from surgery. They helped me make a great plan for aftercare to help with physical recovery and household tasks. And found the right people/services to make it all work, giving me peace of mind. For their practical and understanding support, I highly recommend LionHeart.
Colleen has been very helpful during my early efforts to assist a friend with dementia . The initial and ongoing info she provided have allowed me to function on my friends behalf. I am sure I will be using more of LionHeart Eldercare's services as the disease progresses.
I highly recommend Colleen to anybody seeking sound, knowledgeable advice about elder care. I make that recommendation based on more than two decades of friendship and her invaluable help during my mother’s last years.In particular, I have Colleen to thank for finding a new home health care service that provided everything Mom needed and more for a much more reasonable amount of money.Colleen is invariably responsive, empathetic and kind.Now I’m working with Colleen to plan for my own final years.
Colleen provided tremendous help and insight when I had to deal with a sister in another city from where I lived. She helped me find the right resources and counseled me throughout a long an difficult situation that I would not been able to have navigated on my own. She compassionate, caring and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend her!
Colleen is an out-of-the-box thinker with a real compassion for older adults and their families. She is very knowledgeable about resources in our area and has the hands on experience to guide you through the overwhelming maze of working details. She loves challenges and is persistent in finding options and solutions that will work for your situation. Colleen has patiently listened to my sometimes stressed out ramblings about my elderly family member and was able to clearly identify important issues and offer a direction for finding solutions. I don't hesitate for a second to refer others to Colleen for her services.
Colleen has the experience, network and especially the heart to guide you or someone you love on the often-confusing journey through aging. I've always trusted completely that she would take excellent care of anyone I referred to her, and she's never let me down.
Colleen Duewel is perceptive, knowledgeable, and kind. After only one visit to talk about future living options, she wrote a series of useful recommendations for us. She included general observations about our personal situation and clear information to guide us in decision-making. We were able to decide on a Continuing Care Residential Community quite soon thereafter, and more than once we have called her for quick updates. I have always found her to be responsive and thoughtful. I have confidently referred several other people to Colleen at LionHeart.