Caregivers - Common Feelings and Thoughts

It is challenging to manage emotions
Often feel frustrated, angry, guilty, exhausted
Depression
Stress about living situation
Losing a loved one slowly
What will they do if something happens to me?

1. Outline
Life as a Caregiver
Strategies to delay dementia
Medications to help manage dementia
Behavioural Challenges

2. What is it like to be a person
with dementia?
Short video giving you some insight:
Dementia from the Inside:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erjzl1WL8yQ

3. Life as a Caregiver for Someone with
Dementia
One person’s perspective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzjnP2pnKk

4. Caregivers - Common Feelings
and Thoughts
It is challenging to manage emotions
Often feel frustrated, angry, guilty, exhausted
Depression
Stress about living situation
Losing a loved one slowly
What will they do if something happens to me?

5. Caregiver - Some Strategies
Focus on positive abilities that they retain
Try to find enjoyment in the old memories or interesting
thoughts that may come up from time to time
Invest into learning strategies from those who have had
similar experiences
Attend your own support groups
Reach out to friends and family for support and respite

6. Strategies to Help Delay
Progression
Physical Exercise
Cognitive Training (“Mental exercise”)
Socialization
Healthy Diet (Mediterranean/MIND)
Optimizing Medications
Sensory optimization (hearing, visual etc)
Visit DeterDementia.com for more details

7. Medications to Consider
Speak to your healthcare provider
There may be a role for:
Review of all current medications
Cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine,
galantamine)
NMDA receptor antagonists (memantine)
Monoclonal antibodies (risk vs benefit unclear, not
available in most areas)

8. Some Dementia-Associated Behaviours
Agitation
Aggression
Wandering
Inappropriate sexual behaviour
Sundowning
Hallucinations
Restlessness
Repetition
Screaming
Cursing
Delusions
Catastrophic thoughts
Combative
Euphoria
Elation
Loss of motor control
Low mood
Quick mood swings
Irritable
Crying

9. Strategies for Challenging
Behaviours
Requires a Systematic Approach
Staff and caregiver training
Eliminate triggers
Social contacts
Behavioural interventions
Therapy