All Topics
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging at times, and you may find yourself with questions related to the progression of the disease or how best to care for your loved one.
This site is intended to be a resource for all caregivers of persons with dementia, providing caregiver education and resources on various dementia-related topics. Feel free to browse this list of dementia and caregiver topics for information that may be helpful for you and your loved one. It is suggested that you bookmark this website so that you can easily return to it when needed.
Dementia Overview
Dementia refers to changes in brain functions, such as memory, planning, reasoning, and communcation. This section reviews the common types and stages of dementia, as well as medications used to treat dementia symptoms. Remember, there is no cure for dementia, however, the medications may help slow the progression of the disease.
Activities of Daily Living
Over time, persons with dementia may begin to experience difficulties completing basic activities of daily living by themselves. These activities can include eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting. This section reviews some tips that may make these tasks easier for a person with dementia, as well as tips for the caregiver to assist their loved one. Also included in this section is a brief discussion on how to chose appropriate activities and/or exercises for a person with dementia. 
- Activities of Daily Living Home
- Bathing, Dressing and Grooming with Dementia
- Eating and Oral Care for Persons with Dementia
- Toileting and Incontinence with Dementia
- Appropriate Activities and Exercise for Persons with Dementia
Safety
The actions of a person with dementia can be unpredictable. As dementia worsens, safety may become a concern. It is important to evaluate your environment for safety issues to prevent injuries, such as falls. Learn about medication safety, home safety tips, and when it is no longer safe for your loved one with dementia to drive in this section.
Problem Behaviors
Problem behaviors, such as sleep disturbances, wandering and hoarding, may occur as dementia progresses in your loved one. Learn about common triggers and tips for managing these behaviors in this section. This section also reviews warning signs for illness and/or pain in a person with dementia. 
- Problem Behaviors Home
- Disruptive Behaviors
- Wandering and Hoarding
- Sleep, Illness and Pain
- Managing Disruptive Behaviors
Communication
As dementia progresses, communication will become more difficult for your loved one. It's important to pay attention to how you communicate as well. Allowing your loved one to talk with healthcare providers to the best of their ability will give them a sense of control, and allow the provider to assess their communication skills. Talking to someone with dementia can be frustrating, but some strategies in this section may help.
- Communication Home
- Communicating With a Person with Dementia
- Communicating With Your Loved One's Healthcare Providers
- Telling Your Loved One About a Dementia Diagnosis
- Telling Friends and Family about a Dementia Diagnosis
Caregiver Wellbeing
The number of caregivers for people with dementia is steadily increasing each year. This means that you are not alone. Caregiving for a loved one with dementia can be tiring and stressful. Read about relaxation tips and how to care for your personal wellbeing in this section. 
Practical Tips for Caregivers
Caregiving for a loved one with dementia can be tiring and stressful. Research shows that caregivers usually feel more stressed than non-caregivers. However, too much stress and frustration can cause burn out and negatively affect your relationship with your loved one. In this section, you will learn about some tips that may help you, the caregiver, care for your loved one.
Caregiver Support
Finding people, programs, and services than can help the caregiver care for their loved one with dementia, and for themselves, can be beneficial. Learn about common resources that are available to you as a caregiver in this section.
Important Documents for Caregivers
Because dementia generally worsens over time, planning for the future is important. Making plans early allows the person with dementia to be as involved as possible in decisions affecting his or her future. Plans for the future can include topics of health care, end of life care, and financial affairs. 
Caregiver Summary
There are no words to describe the importance and value of the work caregivers do. Caring for someone with dementia is often times a challenging and painful task. The job of caregiving does not provide a material reward and many caregivers are left feeling abandoned and unappreciated. Thank you for everything that you do! This section provides a summary of the important information found in each Caregiver Topics module. 
