The National Alliance For Caregiving Brain Health Conversation Guide
The National Alliance for Caregiving offers support and resources for all caregivers, but dementia caregivers will find the Brain Health Conversation Guide, developed in collaboration with the Alzheimers Foundation of America, particularly helpful for navigating those difficult discussions about memory changes and cognitive health. Other guidebooks, including a Spanish version of the Brain Health Conversation Guide, can be found here.
The Best Free Resources For Dementia Caregivers
As a dementia caregiver you might feel lost and alone or like no one understands what youre going through. There are several types of dementia and the disease progresses differently for everyone. You may be facing a roller-coaster of emotions, ranging from despair and anxiety to anger and frustration, all while trying to balance the demands of caregiving with other responsibilities, such as your family or career.
Fortunately, there are many excellent resources for dementia caregivers many of them completely free of charge. Heres a look at 10 of the best free resources for caregivers providing dementia care.
Social Services Support For Dementia
The adult social services department of your local council can help with your personal care and day-to-day activities.
For example, social services may offer to provide:
- carers to help you with washing and dressing
- laundry services
- equipment and adaptations to your home
- access to day centres
Social services can also give you information about local services and support, much of which is provided by charities such as the Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK.
It’s a good idea to find out if you do need help by getting a needs assessment from social services. This assessment could identify needs you may not have considered.
A needs assessment is free and anyone can ask for one.
If the assessment shows you need help with everyday tasks, a person from social services will discuss this with you, and a relative or carer. Together you can agree a joint plan of needs and how these will be met.
The next step is a financial assessment by your local council, to check if the council will pay towards the cost of your care.
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Veterans Health Library Resources
- Understanding Dementia – Get basic information about what dementia is, the stages, and treatments.
- Coping with Your Dementia Diagnosis – Find out how to keep healthy and active, arrange for safety at home and in the community, and plan for the future.
- Understanding Reversible Dementias – Read about factors that can cause symptoms that mimic Alzheimers disease.
- Caring for Dementia: What to Expect – Learn how caregivers can help with daily life, find new ways to communicate, and cope with problem behaviors.
What Is The Difference Between Alzheimers And Dementia
People often use Alzheimers and dementia interchangeably, but they are not the same.
Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental function. Thedifference between dementia and Alzheimers is that dementia is a symptom or condition, not a disease itself. In contrast, Alzheimers is a progressive disease that causes changes to the brain.
Over time, people with Alzheimers may experience memory loss, difficulty with movement, and behavior changes. Because the disease impacts every part of daily life, people with Alzheimers often need long-term, full-time care.
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Group Activities For Dementia Patients
#1: Play Balloon Volleyball
Balloon volleyball can be played with a group or with an individual patient. The goal is for the patients to try to keep the balloon in the air by slapping it with their hands.
Not only is balloon volleyball fun, but its also the perfect activity for improving:
#2: Play Balloon Whack
Balloon Whack is similar to balloon volleyball, except this time, the patients are hitting a balloon with pool noodles.
And this game has several fun variations, including:
- Attempting to keep the balloon in the air
- Hitting it back and forth
- Seeing how far each patient can whack the balloon
#3: Try Karaoke
Not only is singing and listening to music enjoyable, but it also may be instrumental in improving memory. If you have ever heard the lyrics to a song and been transported back in time to your high school prom, you know just how powerful music can be.
Singing songs from days gone by not only piques memories, but it can also invoke warm and happy feelings.
Have a sing-along with songs from your patients era. Singalongs were common during the mid-century, and you will probably be surprised at how many songs your patients remember from their childhoods.
And if no karaoke machine is available, dont worry. The patients will love singing into a pretend microphone just as much!
#4: Dance to Favorite Songs
Everyone loves to dance!
As with singalongs, dances were a common occurrence in days gone by.
#5: Tell Jokes
Whos there?
National Alzheimers And Dementia Resource Center
The ACL-funded NADRC provides technical assistance to ACL and its grantees and also serves individuals and organizations outside ACLs ADRD grantee community.
The NADRC website provides a broad range of program-related materials to aid grantees, professionals, and formal and informal caregivers. Materials on the NADRC website include issue briefs, webinar recordings and related PowerPoint presentations, and numerous tools that support service providers and caregivers.
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Caregiver Action Networks Family Caregiver Toolbox
For helpful tips and information on every aspect of caregiving, the Caregiver Action Networks Family Caregiver Toolbox is a go-to resource. While its not specifically focused on dementia caregivers, theres plenty of information any caregiver can use, as well as resources on caring for a loved one with Alzheimers disease. CANs Care Community is an online support community with several forums including a group for Alzheimers caregivers, a forum for caregivers coping with depression, a group for caregivers to discuss tips and strategies for dealing with healthcare providers, and more.
Local Memory Service Team
Local memory services teams specialise in providing a range of support services to people with a dementia and those who support them. Your local team can be contacted through your GP or your health and social care trust.
The team includes:
Other healthcare professionals who can provide support If you are living with a dementia include:
- speech and language therapists
- physiotherapists
- community psychiatric nurses
These healthcare professionals can offer help, for example, with communication and staying independent for as long as possible.
They can also provide help and support as the condition progresses to the later stages. Your GP can tell you how to get support from healthcare professionals.
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Program And Policy Areas
Dementia is a term applied to brain diseases that affect peoples ability to think, as well as their daily functioning. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia occurring mostly among older adults, but there are forms of dementia can impact people at younger ages. ACL provides grants that support state and community efforts to increase the availability of dementia-capable home and community-based services and supports for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia and their caregivers.
Professional Resources And Tools
Public Health Englands Health matters: midlife approaches to reduce dementia risk provides a resource for public health professionals, which brings together important facts, figures and evidence of effective interventions to address major public health problems.
A range of resources, training and guidance to deliver the dementia component of the NHS Health Check is available on the NHS Health Check website dementia training page. Resources include e-learning,videos and adaptable presentations for commissioners, providers and healthcare professionals.
Health Education England E-learning for Healthcare on dementia, covers all aspects of care for people living with dementia and their family members, from prevention and risk reduction to diagnosis through to bereavement.
A range of other Health Education England resources is available to develop the dementia workforce, including the Dementia Training Standards Framework..
Join Dementia Research has an e-learning tool to help healthcare professionals understand research involvement and enable them to empower people they talk to about the opportunities available through research.
The Alzheimers Societys Talking Point is an online discussion forum for anyone affected by dementia. You can ask for advice, share information, join in discussions and feel supported. This is a good place to get some qualitative feedback from service users.
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Planning For The Future
- Talk to the person with dementia to make sure that they have a current up-to-date will that reflects their wishes.
- Encourage the person with dementia to set up a Lasting Power of Attorney so that a responsible person can make decisions on their behalf when they are no longer able to.
- Talk to the person with dementia about making an advance decision to refuse certain types of medical treatment in certain situations. It will only be used when the person with dementia has lost the capacity to make or communicate the decision in the future.
- If the person youre caring for has already lost the ability to make or communicate decisions but doesnt have an LPA, you can apply to the Court of Protection who can make decisions on behalf of that person or appoint someone else to do so.
If the person you care for drives, the law requires them to tell DVLA about their diagnosis. A diagnosis of dementia doesn’t automatically mean someone has to stop driving straight away what matters is that they can drive safely.
Websites And Books On Dementia
- or call their 24-hour helpline to talk with someone who can help you get services and support.24-Hour Toll-free: 1-800-848-7097 or 206-363-5500
- or call their 24-hour helpline to talk with someone who can help you get services and support.24-Hour Toll-free: 1-800-272-3900 or email at
- Alzheimers.govAn official U.S. government website managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services
- Helpquide.org is a website for the general public that includes detailed information on the signs, symptoms and treatment of a variety of different types of dementia and detailed caregiving information.
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Caregiver Support Is A Phone Call Away
Talk to caring people for practical caregiving information and help finding local resources/services.
If the person you care for asks questions repeatedly, has trouble performing simple tasks, or forgets recent events, he or she may have a form of dementia.
There are several causes for dementia, so you should have the person diagnosed by a doctor.
Some dementia may be caused by factors that can be treated, such as drug interactions, severe diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, or depression. The most common kind of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease. It is not curable.
There are many helpful resources for family caregivers coping with dementia, including:
Find Additional Relief Or Assistance
For additional payment assistance, consider the following:
- Property tax relief. Some seniors can receive credits or exemptions on their property taxes depending on their state and income.
- State assistance programs. Many state assistance programs exist. Whether you want to save money on medicine, housing, or other needs, search for ways to savenear you.
- Nonprofits. Many local and national nonprofit organizations have missions based on supporting and paying for senior care.
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Tips For A Healthy And Active Lifestyle For People With Dementia
Eating healthy and staying active is good for everyone and is especially important for people with Alzheimers and related dementias. As the disease progresses, finding ways for the person to eat healthy foods and stay active may be increasingly challenging. Here are some tips that may help:
- Consider different activities the person can do to stay active, such as household chores, cooking and baking, exercise, and gardening. Match the activity to what the person can do.
- Help get an activity started or join in to make the activity more fun. People with dementia may lack interest or initiative and can have trouble starting activities. But, if others do the planning, they may join in.
- Add music to exercises or activities if it helps motivate the person. Dance to the music if possible.
- Be realistic about how much activity can be done at one time. Several short mini-workouts may be best.
- Take a walk together each day. Exercise is good for caregivers, too!
- Buy a variety of healthy foods, but consider food that is easy to prepare, such as premade salads and single portions.
- Give the person choices about what to eat, for example, Would you like yogurt or cottage cheese?
How Do I Know Which Option Is Best For Both Of Us
Most people who need care will need it for a long time.
Understanding what might happen in the future will help you to plan. You might also want to think about the different stages you may go through in your caring role.
The person you care for should be respected, When possible, they should choose how they live, how they are treated and the kind of services they want. To make the best decisions, ask the person you care for what they would like.
You can talk with your family, doctor or other carers in a support group about the options. Talking to people who have been through this before may make it easier for you to plan.
It is important to know that things are likely to change over time, and that the person may need more care in the future, or you might not be able to keep caring for them.
The person may need special aids and special equipment, extra nursing care or home help. They may also need to move into residential care or need palliative care services.
Things to consider when choosing the right care for a person with dementia include:
- Safety will they be safe? Do they need supervision for some activities?
- Health do they need specialised medical care?
- Care do they need more care than they are currently receiving? Are you able to give the care they need?
- Social are they engaged in meaningful activities during the day or would they benefit from spending more time with other people?
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Continuous Support From The Dementia Specialists
We all acknowledge that caring for people with dementia can be daunting and challenging. Thats why we train each and every one of our carers so theyre experts in dementia care and understand how to make life easier for those living with the condition. With over 50% of our customers having some form of dementia, its why weve become the dementia specialists.
We recognise that the homes of our customers arent just buildings, theyre treasure troves, hosting decades worth of cherished memories. And when caring for someone with dementia, this continuity and consistency of environment and routine is absolutely vital. With our service, your loved one will be cared for by the same familiar faces, and youll get to know your carers too. Read more about our consistent service for live-in care, respite care, palliative care, domiciliary care and visiting care.
Tips For Changes In Communication And Behavior For People With Dementia
Communication can be hard for people with Alzheimers and related dementias because they have trouble remembering things. They also can become agitated and anxious, even angry. In some forms of dementia, language abilities are affected such that people have trouble finding the right words or have difficulty speaking. You may feel frustrated or impatient, but it is important to understand that the disease is causing the change in communication skills. To help make communication easier, you can:
- Reassure the person. Speak calmly. Listen to his or her concerns and frustrations. Try to show that you understand if the person is angry or fearful.
- Allow the person to keep as much control in his or her life as possible.
- Respect the persons personal space.
- Build quiet times into the day, along with activities.
- Keep well-loved objects and photographs around the house to help the person feel more secure.
- Remind the person who you are if he or she doesnt remember, but try not to say, Dont you remember?
- Encourage a two-way conversation for as long as possible.
- Try distracting the person with an activity, such as a familiar book or photo album, if you are having trouble communicating with words.
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Texas Adult Protective Services
1-800-252-5400
APS investigates abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults who are elderly or have disabilities. Any adult who has a disability or who is age 65 or older over that is in a state of abuse, neglect, or exploitation may be eligible to receive adult protective services.
Phone: 1-800-621-0508
Register complaints against businesses report senior fraud. The Senior Texans page includes information on consumer protection rights of the elderly choosing a nursing home advance planning, health and safety and Senior Alerts.
Facilitating Hobbies And Interests
Just because someone is diagnosed with dementia does not mean that they automatically lose all interest in their hobbies. However, they may need some help with facilitating these.
Your loved one could enjoy reading a daily newspaper but find it difficult to go down to their local shop. Assisting them by quickly picking it up means that they will still be able keep up to date with current events and have not needed to miss out on this.
Allowing them to still engage in their interests mean that your loved one will be able to have mental stimulation and will bring a lot of pleasure.
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