Hello and welcome to episode 24 of my series of Tiny Talks related to Dementia.
And today I will speak about families and dementia.
This week's Tiny Talk focuses on the experience of family members of people who live with dementia.
It is not as much targeted at family care as themselves.
They will be quite familiar with this content.
It is more for those around them to get an overview of things that are happening for them.
It may be somewhat confrontational,
But I hope it helps to create understanding.
Or for those who we suspect have dementia or who have just heard that a loved one has dementia,
It may help to start preparing for the future.
Financial impact.
In the USA,
As an example,
The total lifetime cost of caring for a family member who has dementia amounts to 340,
000 US dollars.
70% of those costs are carried by the families.
And of course this may vary per country.
Physical impact.
Caring for someone often impacts on someone's physical health,
Either directly as a consequence of heavy tasks such as lifting or washing,
Or through a pathway of feelings of stress leading to,
For example,
High blood pressure,
Back pain or headaches.
Social impact.
Family carers often become more isolated for a number of reasons.
For example,
Limited time for social activities,
Being met with stigma about dementia,
Or for practical reasons,
Such as the other person used to drive them to activities and this is no longer possible.
Emotional impact.
Following from all of the above,
Many family carers will struggle with emotional or mental health issues.
Like feelings of stress,
Feelings of depression,
Anxiety,
They are highly prevalent.
This may also sound bleak and draining.
However,
Families often report positive consequences as well,
Like finally being able to give back or feeling more connected.
If you like to get in touch with somebody who cares for a loved one with dementia,
Here are some suggestions.
Number one.
Check in regularly,
Even just a quick call or message about how they are or creating a space for them to vent if needed.
Two.
If respite care is not yet an option,
Support someone by creating some getaways,
Like going out for a cup of coffee.
Help by thinking about where and with whom the person with dementia will be.
And finally,
Number three.
Never forget to ask how you can help.
This is different for everyone.
Some people are not great at asking help.
You could support by cooking and bringing over a meal once a week or offering to create an overview of dementia-related care providers or programs in the facilities.
