It can feel like your whole world is crashing down after a parent gets diagnosed with dementia. You may be ruminating about the loss of their memory or anxious over how you’re going to manage their care. Given the nature of the disease, it’s natural to develop a sense of grief even before your loved one’s symptoms have begun to progress.

Learning how to best support your parent and connecting to those in similar situations can help you cope with the emotional weight of their diagnosis. Being better informed will empower you into making better decisions that will eventually benefit both you and your loved one in the long run.

Coping With A Loved One’s Dementia Diagnosis

It can be challenging to accept the reality of the diagnosis. It is natural to experience intense emotions of fear, denial, sadness, and anger. You aren’t alone in this journey — thousands of Americans learn of a dementia diagnosis in the family each year. But you must remember that it is most difficult for your loved one to cope with their diagnosis.

Therefore, it is imperative to assure your loved one to express themselves and discuss their feelings openly. This is also a time to reflect and ensure that you have the opportunity to spend precious quality time with your loved one. Utilize this time to let them know how much you love them and how they’ve impacted your life.

Steps To Take If Your Loved One Has Been Diagnosed With Dementia

There is currently no known cure for dementia. However, you apply the following steps to ensure they remain safe and healthy for a long time.

Learn About Their Diagnosis

Learning about their diagnosis can help you understand what to expect from the disease. Greater knowledge can empower you and give you the confidence to begin creating a routine for your loved one. This can drastically improve their quality of life and ease both your minds.

Find Medical Treatment

Dementia does not yet have a cure, but there are certain medicines that can help manage a few symptoms. Supportive therapy and behavioral management can make your lives much easier. Most importantly, it’s imperative that you stay in touch with their doctor to keep tabs on their treatment plan, medication, and anything else they may need.

Look For Support

Understand that you and your loved one are not alone on this journey. There are thousands of people who have gone through or are going through the same thing. Support groups can provide you with much-needed advice, encouragement, and information that can ease your mind and ultimately help to make your loved one’s life more comfortable.

Understand Dementia Behavioral Patterns

As you learn, it helps to look into the various behavioral changes dementia can bring. For example, anxiety, confusion, anger, and agitation are symptoms of dementia. It can be quite challenging to cope with these behavioral changes in your loved one. Therefore, it is extremely important that you devise strategies so that you can take care of them while also being gentle with yourself in whatever you may be feeling as well.

Make Your Home Safe

As dementia progresses, your loved one’s condition will unfortunately worsen and that brings on another set of symptoms, such as wandering and sundowning. Therefore, you must act proactively and eliminate potential safety risks in their home, such as electrical cords or slippery rugs that can cause falls. Test and ensure fire alarms are working. Consider also equipping your house with technology that lets you keep track of your loved one throughout the day.

Plan Ahead

As mentioned, your loved one will require more intensive care as time passes. Create support networks early into their diagnosis so that you can receive help when required. Look into memory care committees, respite care, or home care. Consider looking into hiring a professional caregiver.

Moving Forward

You don’t have to go through the process of coping with your loved one’s dementia diagnosis alone. It is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed by the situation. Reach out to family, friends, acquaintances who have dealt with similar, or support groups in your area. Even simply reading up on the disease can give you a certain understanding of how to better look after them and make your lives more comfortable. This will allow you to best cherish the time you and your loved one have together.

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