Dementia Careblazers

In this episode I share a very important question for you to think about. Your answer to this question can lead to a much more enjoyable and pleasant caregiving experience.    To learn more about Dementia Careblazers and sign up for a free class on How To Care For A Loved One With Dementia Without The Overhwelm, you can go to www.careblazers.com   Follow @Dementia_Careblazers on Instagram and Tik...

In this episode I break down the 2 most popular ways to find out what stage someone with dementia is in- the 3 stage dementia model and the 7 stage dementia model. To learn more about Dementia Careblazers you can go to www.careblazers.com To sign up for a FREE Class on How To Care For Someone with Dementia without The Overhwelm you can click HERE:  https://www.dementiacareclass.com/website Follow...

Respite care can be a valubale resource for dementia caregivers.  In this episode, we talk about what it is and how you can get it.  To learn more about Dementia Careblazers you can go to www.careblazers.com To sign up for a FREE Class on How To Care For Someone with Dementia without The Overhwelm you can click HERE: https://www.dementiacareclass.com/website Follow @Dementia_Careblazers on Instagr...

If your loved one has dementia, you need to know. This episode goes over 6 important reasons knowing your loved one has dementia can help make caregiving an easier experience for you.  Links referenced in this episode include: Why a dementia diagnosis is often delayed: https://youtu.be/taJ4c4VXFts How to stop someone with dementia from driving: https://youtu.be/GmGHojIVyt0 Free Training: How To Ca...

Some people suspect there loved one may have dementia, but they may not actually have a diagnosis or they may find themselves struggling to get the testing done to determine if the diagnosis is present. This episode covers 3 common reasons someone with dementia may be delayed in getting the diagnosis.  #1: They are younger than 65 #2: They have good memory #3: They have good language skills If you...

Dementia caregiving is HARD…but this common response makes caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia so much harder. This video will share how one small tweak can make caregiving easier for you.  In early 2023, I'll be sharing a free in depth training on how to best care for someone with dementia without the overwhelm, you can sign up to be the first notifi...

It IS possible to reduce your risk for dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, lewy body dementia, etc. A 2021 study based out of Japan showed that older adults who had emotional loneliness were 60% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease within 5 years compared to those who were not lonely. They asked 3 specific questions to determine if someone was emotionally lonely and a ye...

Most people who care for someone with dementia like Alzheimer's disease never think about this when they think about dementia care planning- how do YOU want to show up in caregiving. We sometimes just wait to see what the person with dementia does, or how the day unfolds to decide how we want to respond or how we will show up. Instead, you can decide on the type of person you want to be in caregiv...

Flat affect is a common symptom in dementia such as alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease dementia. It can also happen in other diseases such as Schizophrenia and depression. It makes it really difficult to know if someone with dementia is enjoying themselves or appreciative of what you are doing. Because of that it's easy to make their flat affect mean  you aren't doing a good job at bringin...

The words you use or don't use can impact whether or not the person with dementia is agreeable to what you are offering. In this episode I break down the reason words are so important and give you ideas for how you can start to change how you refer to things and present things to your person with dementia keeping in mind what you know about them personally.  If there is anything you struggle with...

Many people with dementia look like they have denial when they actually have something called anonosognosia. Anosognosia means total lack of awareness and it means that there is no amount of evidence, convincing, or reasonsing that will ever get them to understand that they have cognitive limitations. When you try to point out how they need help, it often makes things worse. In today's episode, I...

In this episode, we are talking about caregiver guilt. I get messages every day from amazing Careblazers who feel so guilty for something they said or something they've done. They might tell me they snapped back at their loved one. They may have lost thier patience with them. They might tell me they had to place their loved one in a care facility. They tell me they have so much guilt. In this epis...

The holidays can be difficult for many people, especially dementia caregivers. The current holiday season looks nothing like the family holidays you may have had in the past. But comparing your current situation to those past celebrations can create feelings of sadness that will make your current situation seem even more difficult.  You don't have to just suffer through the holiday season and wish...

Neuropsychological testing is a series of tests designed to determine how somebody's brain functions across the different regions of the brain.  Different types of dementia present differently. Determining how a person responds to different questions can help family members care for and interact with their loved ones more effectively and offer insight for future planning. But not everyone is offer...

Did you know there are 3 things you should never do with your loved one with dementia? One of the reasons this journey can be so complex and challenging is that the person with dementia, especially in the early stages, looks so much like their normal, usual self. They don't seem to look like much is wrong with them. It's not apparent that their brain is struggling. So, when they want to do somethi...

One of the biggest blocks to changing challenging dementia behaviors that don't make sense to us is labeling them.  For example, say your mom won't bathe, sometimes for weeks. This behavior doesn't make sense to you, but no matter how much you beg and plead and ask, 'why won't you let me help you take care of your hygiene' the answer is a big no.  Add to that mom's inability to communicate what sh...

If you needed surgery, would you want it done by a surgeon who lives on coffee, hasn't slept for a week, and has an overflowing waiting room?  Probably not.  The same is true for caregivers who provide dementia care. If they are over-taxed, burned out, and running on fumes, they are probably unable to provide the highest level of care. "Great dementia care can't ignore the caregiver." So how can y...