If you work with people who have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, your clients’ friends and families probably have a lot of questions and concerns about the disease, and they might be feeling sad, angry, overwhelmed, or yearning for support.
To help meet these needs, we’ve created three free guides for friends and families of people who have dementia. The guides delve into the definitions of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and share communication strategies and support resources.
Changing Our Perceptions of People Who Have Dementia [Get the Guide]
If you're a
Dementia Capable Care Certified Instructor, you know the power of focusing less on what someone can’t do anymore and more on what they
can still do. This guide offers friends and families an overview of the Allen Cognitive Disabilities Model and Dr. Reisberg’s Theory of Retrogenesis. Through this outline, the guide presents the paradigm shift we bring about in training—that seeing people with dementia in a new light can help us give them a sense of purpose and accomplishment—and it can help families and friends feel hope and comfort.
Some Realities of Supporting Loved Ones Who Have Dementia [Get the Guide]
Family caregivers deal with a range of emotions and stressors. This guide reminds them that it’s natural to feel angry, guilty, frustrated, sad, exhausted, and all the emotions they go through in a day. This guide shares strategies and resources to help family care partners maintain their own physical and emotional health while caring for a loved one.
Improving Our Communication With People Who Have Dementia [Get the Guide]
This guide discusses the changes in communication that come with dementia and why verbal and nonverbal communication becomes difficult. It offers simple ways for friends and families to enhance everyday exchanges by listening with their eyes, ears, and hearts.
Share these
helpful guides in a variety of settings—from your assisted living facility to a community event to your place of worship.