Information

Caring for a person with dementia? Our guide for carers can help

Caring for a person with dementia can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, enabling you to help and support the person you love. 

However, it can also be very challenging and tiring, and you are likely to feel a complex mix of emotions. As dementia progresses, the person may show changes that you haven’t experienced before or weren’t expecting.

This can be daunting, but our free guide can help. Caring for a person with dementia: A practical guide contains information and advice on all aspects of supporting someone with dementia. This includes some common challenges. 

Five aspects of dementia care our guide can help you with:

1. When the person doesn’t accept their diagnosis

It can be very difficult both for you and a person with dementia if they have received a diagnosis but don’t acknowledge it. They might put memory problems or other changes to their behaviour down to them getting older or simply change the subject if you try to mention their condition. 

The guide includes information on denial and lack of insight with advice on how to manage this difficult situation.

2. You need a break from caring

Everyone who cares for someone with dementia will need to take breaks for their own health and wellbeing, and to help them to carry on caring. Making time for yourself and looking into replacement care will enable you to do this, and you’ll find information and advice on this and other ways to look after yourself. 

3. The person’s behaviour changes

One of the most difficult aspects of dementia is often when people start to behave in ways that others find hard to understand. This can be very challenging both for the person with the condition and for those around them. 

Tips in the guide include advice on managing any changes in behaviour as well as specific tips on responding to someone who haves aggressively or regularly leaves home to walk about. 

4. The person’s personal care needs change 

As dementia progresses, a person will often need more support with personal care. One of the most challenging aspects of this can be if someone develops continence issues. You’ll find practical advice on daily personal care as well as tips for reducing and managing any continence issues.

5. Deciding where the person will live

When a person is in the later stages of dementia there can be some very difficult decisions to make, such as whether they should move into a care home or another supported living arrangement. The guide includes information on different housing options and advice on coping with these changes.

Throughout the guide you’ll also find a wealth of information on many other issues you may face when caring for a person with dementia along with details on where to go for further advice or support. 

More than 140 carers contributed to this guide, as well as health and social care professionals and other experts with specialist knowledge and experience.