Caring for a loved one with dementia can bring a number of challenges every day and those challenges are heightened enormously because of the limits coronavirus has placed on our day to day existence.  Along with the anxiety caused by what is going on in the world at present practical obstacles like getting someone up, dressed and fed to on-going difficulties like coping with inappropriate behaviour, mood swings and depression, make life as a carer for someone with dementia harder then ever.  

As a result of the challenges faced on a day to day basis, it’s all too easy for carers to become overwhelmed. Once this happens, it becomes a lot harder to provide your loved one with the care they need. To ensure you’re able to cope as well as possible with the challenges that caring brings, we’ve put together some tips to prevent you becoming overwhelmed by dementia.  

Take regular breaks 

Caring for someone with dementia takes a huge amount of energy. If you don’t take regular breaks, you’ll soon begin to feel drained both physically and emotionally so it’s essential you take the time to look after yourself.   

If you’re the sole carer for a loved one with dementia, take time to reach out and talk to family and friends or connect with others on the https://forum.dementia.network 

Join support groups  

If you feel like you’re going through dementia alone, you can easily begin to feel overwhelmed. Talking to others about your experiences is a very good way to de-stress and get the support you need to cope with the challenges dementia brings.  

Joining a support group will also show you that you’re not alone. Hearing the experiences of other carers, and talking about your own life looking after someone with dementia, is very important if you’re going to stay positive and meet daily challenges head on. Although at present it’s unlikely that you can attend these groups in person, many have phone lines so you can talk to someone one on one. Go to https://my.dementia.network/community/category/regional-website/   to search for both national and local support groups  

Look for the positives  

Looking for the positives is difficult at the moment, which is all the more reason to try harder then ever, doing so is way to avoid being overwhelmed by the enormity of what is going on. Try to find something positive to focus on every day. If you don’t have any time for yourself, try to find positives in your relationship with your loved one. If they have a good day, are able to remember you lucidly or enjoy an activity you’ve planned, try to take as much pleasure from it as possible.   

Understand dementia    

The more you know about dementia, the easier it will be to understand why your loved one behaves in the way they do. This can make it much easier to cope with the symptoms of dementia and can help to prevent you from becoming overwhelmed.  

If you don’t yet know much about dementia, put some time aside to head online and do a little research. Alternatively, explore The Dementia Network site where you will find lots of practical information.