Understanding Dementia and Learning How You Can Help Those Living with It

Author

Dementia360 - A Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Program, Allegheny County

Posted on

Sep 20, 2021

Book/Edition

Pennsylvania - Greater Pittsburgh Area

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We arent born knowing how to communicate with a person living with dementia but we can learn.
Caring for a person who is living with dementia poses many challenges for families. People living with dementia from conditions such as Alzheimers and related diseases have a progressive biological brain disorder that makes it
more and more difficult for them to remember things, think clearly, communicate with others, and take care of themselves.
In addition, dementia can cause mood swings and even change a persons personality and how they may interact. Improving your communication skills and learning the early signs of dementia can help make caregiving less stressful, as well as likely improve the quality of your relationship with your family member. Here are a few things you can do to help understand dementia and what your family members are experiencing.

Recognize the symptoms. You can often recognize the early symptoms if a family member is struggling to participate in or complete everyday activities such as paying bills, using terms of endearment instead of specific names, changes in their vision, isolating themselves or refusing to leave their homes.
Understanding what you dont know. As clich as this sounds, trying to understand what your family members are going through is an important part of providing them with the best care possible. Its also beneficial to learn how to communicate with them in ways that are supportive, understanding and empathetic.
Sign-up for a Dementia Education virtual seminar.

Free e-learning workshops through the Alzheimers Association are available at https://training.alz.org/. Additionally, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network is offering a free series of virtual seminars to help educate the local community on how to provide care for those living with dementia. To learn more, visit
www.srcare.org/dementia-education.
As a Dementia Care Center of Excellence, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network is committed to sharing its deep expertise to provide educational support that can improve dementia care, particularly for persons being cared for in their home by family members. To learn about services available to family caregivers, visit
www.PSCNDementia360.org
Editors Note: This article was written by PresbyterianSeniorCare Network. Contact us at 877-851-1440 or visit www.SrCare.org to learn more.

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Local Services By This Author

Dementia360 - A Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Program, Allegheny County

Caregiver Support Services 1215 Hulton Rd, Oakmont, Pennsylvania, 15139

Help for Families Living with DementiaDementia360 gives family caregivers of people living with dementia the support, resources, and connections they need to keep their loved ones at home--living comfortably and safely, for as long as possible. Understanding the disease and how it affects people emotionally and physically is critical for caregivers to be successful at any stage of the disease.Life does not prepare anyone to be a dementia caregiver and everyone is impacted by this disease in a different way. Finding answers and solutions to the challenges of daily life with dementia is a verypersonal journey, a journey no one should have to go on alone.The highly skilled Care Coordinators at Dementia360 provide education, support, coaching and connections to community resources to help families live better, together.