Caring for Someone with Dementia

Dementia is a degenerative mental illness which causes problems with memory loss, thinking and reasoning. Dementia usually affects a person’s mental health gradually over a number of years.

There are different types of dementia, each with different causes – dementia is not a disease but a group of symptoms or conditions which affect the brain. One well known type of dementia, for example, is Alzheimer’s disease.

Dementia can’t be cured but it can be managed or slowed down in some cases with medicine and mental activities.

Being a Carer for Someone with Dementia

As a carer, or potential carer, for someone with dementia you may be a family member or a private carer. Whatever your relationship to the dementia sufferer, caring for someone with this illness can often be extremely demanding.

There is help and support available for both dementia sufferers and their carers.

The Practicalities of Caring for Someone with Dementia

Dementia sufferers may have problems carrying out everyday tasks such as caring for themselves, maintaining their household, cooking and even going to the toilet and as a carer these are likely to be areas that you help with depending on what’s needed.

Because people with dementia may be confused or forgetful they may sometimes behave in an unusual or unexpected way and this is something that a carer will need to prepare themselves for. Initially this unusual behaviour may seem embarrassing, alarming or unnerving. Dementia experts often suggest avoiding getting into discussions with a dementia sufferer who is behaving oddly. Rather, they suggest that, as long as the person is not causing danger to themselves and others, that they are allowed to do their own thing. Dementia sufferers should be treated in a calm and gentle manner even if they are not acting that way themselves.

Although someone with dementia may have lost their ability to carry out some tasks, it’s important that their carer doesn’t patronise them and instead helps them to live as independently as they possibly can. It is important that the dementia sufferer is still encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves and that they are praised and rewarded for their achievements.

Looking After Yourself as a Carer for Someone with Dementia

Caring for someone with dementia is demanding and it’s important that carers take the time to look after themselves and their own wellbeing as well as that of the person that they care for.

It’s important that carers for sufferers of dementia don’t become isolated. Seeing other friends and family regularly is important. Carers should arrange regular alternative care through friends, family or professional respite care to make sure that they get sufficient time off from caring.

Many people who care for dementia sufferers find that it’s helpful to talk to other carers. There are many support groups for carers and some are for carers of dementia sufferers in particular. These support groups exist on a local level and online.

Help and Support for Dementia Carers

Help and support is available for carers of dementia sufferers. The type of support on offer includes advice and information, financial assistance and emotional help.

Carers should first contact their Local Authority to make sure that they and the person they care for are getting all the help that they are entitled to.

Charities and other organisations are a good source of support for carers as well.