Living With Dementia
Guidance for families and caregivers navigating the emotional complexity of dementia, and for those in early-stage diagnosis.
Understanding it
Dementia changes memory and cognition gradually, but it also fundamentally changes relationships, because the person you know is still present even as their abilities shift, often unpredictably from day to day. Families frequently describe a strange, disorienting grief: mourning someone who is still physically there, sometimes still recognizable in glimpses of personality or humor, which makes the loss harder to name and harder for others to fully understand.
Unlock this with a plan, or enter your client access code if your therapist gave you one.
When to reach for more support
If your loved one shows sudden severe confusion, is a danger to themselves or others, or you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself from caregiver strain, contact 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or emergency services immediately, and consult their physician about any sudden behavioral changes.