Coming to terms with dementia

Understand your type of dementia so you can adjust

3.1 Managing symptoms to achieve what’s most important

Live a meaningful life with dementia with the help of strategies and therapies

3.2 Memory, thinking and perception difficulties

Strategies, therapies, and medications to help with memory and thinking difficulties

3.3 Memory and thinking strategies

Many people with dementia use strategies to help with their memory and thinking.

3.4 Therapies to help memory and thinking

Medication, brain training, and cognitive rehabilitation can help with memory and thinking.

3.5 Dealing with driving

Transportation options and driving with dementia

3.6 Strategies from others who stopped driving

There are a range of strategies and travel options to get to the places you need to go.

3.7 Dementia can make activities outside the home harder

It’s often harder to get out of the house and do things with dementia.

3.8 Strategies from others for when you are out and about

People with dementia share their strategies to overcome difficulties when out and about.

3.9 Dementia friendly groups

People at dementia friendly groups are accepting of your symptoms.

3.10 Speech and occupational therapy

Speech and occupational therapy can help people maintain their independence and go about their daily activities more easily.

3.11 Dementia makes is harder to manage at home

Strategies to help with life at home.

3.12 Strategies from others to deal with difficulties at home

Strategies used by people with dementia to overcome difficulties and keep safe at home

3.13 Occupational therapy and home modifications

Occupational therapists can help you overcome difficulties and identify home modifications to keep you safe at home.

3.14 Services which support you at home

House cleaning, gardening, and home repairs

3.1 Dealing with memory and thinking difficulties

Memory and thinking difficulties are common to dementia, but don’t have to define your life.

3.2 Medications

Medications may help with memory and thinking difficulties.

3.3 Cognitive therapies and rehabilitation

Cognitive stimulation, cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation.

3.4 Strategies to help with memory and thinking difficulties

Memory aids can be very helpful for people with dementia.

3.5 Sensory and perceptual changes

Sometimes dementia damages part of the brain that interprets information from the senses.

3.6 Managing anxiety about changes to memory, thinking and perception

Strategies that reduce anxiety for people with dementia.

3.7 Helping people with dementia to stay on task

Strategies to help maintain focus and stay on task

3.8 Helping without taking over

Providing encouragement and support can help persons with dementia maintain their skills.

3.9 Dealing with driving

Driving with dementia and transportation options

3.10 Supporting someone to stop driving

Start discussions about transitioning to not driving as early as possible

3.11 Transport options

Public transportation, taxis, and other strategies when you stop driving

3.12 Dealing with symptoms in public

Supporting someone with activities outside the house

3.13 Use therapies to help people maintain independence

Speech therapy and occupational therapy can help people with dementia

3.14 Dealing with symptoms at home

Considerations for living at home or moving into a retirement home.

3.15 Making your home ‘dementia friendly’

A few key changes around the house will support people with dementia to function better.

3.16 Assistive technologies can help you stay at home

There are products that help people with dementia to stay connected and safe.

3.17 Other services to support you at home

There are people that can be hired for cleaning, gardening, and other odd jobs around your house.

1.3 What to ask your doctor

Your doctor can advise you on treatments

1.4 Get trustworthy, up-to-date information

Some people prefer to have as much information as possible, and others prefer to focus on what they need to know right now.

1.5 Have hope

You can adapt to dementia and continue living your life

2.1 Emotional reactions to having dementia

Managing your feelings is a key step in moving forward with dementia

1.6 Break down myths and stereotypes

Don’t be trapped by stereotypes of dementia

2.2 The idea of having dementia

If you have just been diagnosed, the idea of having dementia can be more disabling than your current symptoms of dementia.

1.7 Learn from others with dementia

For many people, meeting others living with dementia was a turning point in finding hope.

2.3 Support to adjust to diagnosis

Support groups and counselling can help you come to terms with diagnosis

1.8 Progression of dementia

Some people want to know everything about dementia including what will happen in the future. Some people aren’t ready to think about the future yet. Read this article when you’re ready.

2.4 Manage how you feel about yourself

Be confident and positive, you are not your dementia

1.9 Your family’s risk of dementia

Many people with dementia are concerned about whether dementia is a hereditary disease – in other words, whether their children or grandchildren are more likely to get dementia.

2.5 Practice positive self-talk

Techniques to boost self-image and challenge self-stigma

1.1 Information about the diagnosis can help you move forward

Supporting someone with a dementia diagnosis is not easy. Understanding more about dementia can help you better prepare and adapt to life with dementia.

2.6 Help for depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common in people with dementia

1.2 Understand types of dementia

Getting information about the specific type of dementia can help you adapt to life with dementia.

2.7 Family and friends’ reactions

Your diagnosis affects others. Share your diagnosis and move forward with dementia together.

1.3 Ask the doctor for specific information

Make a follow-up appointment with your family doctor to ask questions about the type of dementia.

2.8 Share your diagnosis, your way

You are in control of who you tell your diagnosis to, how you tell them, and when you tell them.

1.4 Get trustworthy, up-to-date information

Choose what information you need. Some people are happy reading on the computer, some like videos, and others prefer printed brochures or books.

1.5 Have hope

Life with dementia can be meaningful and bring surprising rewards.

2.9 Telling friends and family

Start by telling the people you feel closest to.

1.6 Break down myths and stereotypes

Learn about dementia so that you can break down common myths and stereotypes.

2.10 Telling other health or social care providers

Share your dementia diagnosis with other health practitioners and be assertive about getting therapy.

1.7 Learn from others leading meaningful lives

Learning how others have adapted and moved forward with dementia give a sense of hope.

1.8 The progression of dementia

Dementia progresses slowly over time but is different for each person.

2.11 Telling your employer

Depending on your work role, you may be able to continue working or make adaptations to your role.

1.9 Plan to get support

Support is out there, it is how you use it that is important.

2.12 Manage how others treat you

Strategies for when others treat you differently because you have dementia

1.10 Plan for now and the future

Plan to have support when you need it so that you do not become overwhelmed in the future.

1.11 Your family’s risk of dementia

Many families want to know about the risk of inheriting dementia or ‘passing it on’ to children or grandchildren.

2.1 Strong emotions after a dementia diagnosis

Care partners describe strong emotions after someone in their life was diagnosed with dementia

2.2 Working through your feelings is a positive step

Express and talk through your feelings about the dementia diagnosis.

2.3 When feelings threaten to overwhelm you

Sometimes intense feelings last for a long time and don’t seem to resolve.

2.4 Plan to prevent depression

Plan ahead to help avoid becoming depressed, and feel more in control.

2.5 Talking about a dementia diagnosis

Being open and honest can help you express your feelings and allow others to support you.

2.6 Some people may not want to talk about their diagnosis

Sharing the diagnosis can help you to come to terms with dementia and get the support you need.

2.7 Reactions of family and friends to the diagnosis

Family and friends may react in a range of ways when told that someone has dementia.

2.8 Sharing the diagnosis with family and friends

Sharing the diagnosis helps you to come to terms with it and others to understand

2.9 Sharing the diagnosis with health and social care providers

It is helpful for health or social care providers to know about the dementia diagnosis

2.10 Sharing the diagnosis with employers

You may need workplace changes, so you can continue to care for the person with dementia

2.11 Managing how others treat you and the person you support

Strategies for when others treat you differently because the person you care for has dementia.

2.12 Be assertive with doctors and other professionals

Some health and social care providers may not have much experience with dementia.

2.13 Tell others how you’d like to be supported

As someone caring for a person with dementia, you will need support too.

4.2 Exercise to boost your physical health

Exercise can improve or maintain daily function for people with dementia.

4.3 Eat and drink well

Eating fresh foods and drinking water is good for your brain.

4.4 Rest well

Even usual activities can be mentally tiring for people with dementia.

4.5 Attend to other health issues

If your overall health is well managed, your brain health will benefit.

4.6 Build emotional resilience

Build emotional resilience, be mentally and socially active to boost brain health.

4.7 Be mentally active

People with dementia can grow new brain cells and connections between brain cells

4.8 Be socially active

Keep spending time with friends.

4.9 Join a group to be more socially active

A local group or club is a great way of socialising and meeting new people.

5.1 Make a plan for this year

Your plan can be flexible for when things change.

5.2 Put your life plan into action

Once you finish your life plan, put it into action. Things won’t always go according to plan, so adjust and adapt along the way.

5.3 Plan to use services

Services can help you maintain independence and provide practical support.

5.4 Talk to your family about your future wishes

Express your wishes for the future through your advance care plan and power of attorney.

5.5 Plan for when you can’t make decisions

Thinking about advance care planning early is important

5.6 Your will

Your will can be written by a lawyer or public trustee in your area.

5.7 Financial planning

It is a good idea to think about how you will manage your finances.

5.8 Provincial Resources

Information about driving and transportation, home and community support, exercise programs, cognitive training programs, power of attorney, support groups, and the Alzheimer Society.

5.1 Planning for the near future

Plan for this year, have conversations, and decide how to achieve your goals.

4.1 Live well to care well

Looking after your health will help you both move forward.

4.2 Exercise to boost your physical health

Exercise can improve or maintain memory and ability to do daily tasks.

4.3 Eating Well

Your diet has an impact on energy levels and mood

4.4 Get plenty of rest

Your diet has an impact on energy levels and mood

4.5 Make time for your own health

If your overall health is good, brain health will benefit

4.6 Building emotional resilience

Build your emotional resilience and do things that hold meaning for you

4.7 Practice self-care

Self-care is an investment in your own mental health

5.2 Planning to use services

Getting services in place as you plan for now and the future is important.

5.3 Planning ahead and talking about the future

Having plans in place early will help with making decisions in future.

5.4 Making decisions now for the future

Selecting someone the person with dementia trusts to act on their behalf and preparing written instructions can ensure that they remain involved in their own care.

Telling someone they have dementia

The way you tell someone they have dementia impacts how they and their care partners accept, adjust, and move forward with managing their diagnosis

5.5 Provincial Resources