If you are caring for a person living with dementia at home, your journey will be filled with memorable rewards and challenges as your loved one progresses with the disease.
It is important to keep your respect for the person who is fighting to retain some control over his/her reality through the confusion of dementia—even as that reality fades into the background. The person you love is still there—on some level—perhaps not on the surface, but deep inside.
Despite the dementia, your loved one will often find joy in favorite foods, impactful colors, a soft voice, a touch, a silly joke from childhood, a story, a game—even as his/her reality changes over time.
Planning to care for your loved one’s safety, health, security, and well-being is critical. Involve your loved one in his/her care planning as much as possible. Do not forget to plan opportunities for joy in every day, at every event. At every stage, there is room for joy. St. John’s has developed a special “Joy Plan” for caregivers at home—a worksheet to help you include joy at every opportunity. If you would like to know more about creating joy for your loved one, read this article. We will also be happy to email you our template for creating your own Joy Plan at home.
St. John’s has a JOY Plan for dementia caregivers at home. Send for your free copy.
