Thinking “We’ve got this?” Caring for someone with dementia is unlike any other medical issue. The person you love is disappearing. They communicate and reason differently. They have different needs. They’ll get angry at seemingly nothing.
Your relationship will most likely deteriorate as you take on more caregiving responsibilities. And likely, your loved one doesn’t want you taking care of their very personal hygiene needs or having to tolerate their anger and frustration with themselves as the condition progresses.
Deciding to be your loved one’s caregiver means you are walking away from the relationship you have had with them all of your life. It is very unlikely you can be both a spouse/daughter/son AND a 24/7 eyes-on caregiver and still provide your loved one with the best care possible.
Note where the red appears on both arrows below in regards to the Dementia Journey. Which journey would you rather take?
Want a better dementia journey for you and your loved one?
