List 10 Key interventions to support carers of people with dementia

Because I’ve been asked to do a VERY short presentation on dementia and caring, I made a list of 10 important ideas, and then it became 11. So I’m going to take each one in turn and look at it over the next week or so. But here’s the full list for people who can’t wait.

1. Timely diagnosis because you need to know what’s coming and prepare for it

·      Reduce stigma so people seek clinical help as soon as possible

2. Education and Training because understanding dementia and its progression is essential for planning and managing your life and reducing shocks

·      Managing behavioural symptoms and communication strategies

·      Legal and financial planning

·      Self-care and stress reduction

3. Carer Recognition and Assessment in Law because carers have their own needs, which are not just an extension of the patient’s needs

·      Government policies need to formally recognise carers and assess their needs

4. Advance Care Planning Policies because legal barriers prevent good decision making and cause carer stress

·      Introduction of powers of attorney and guardianship

·      Education on end-of-life care ethical decision making

·      Early family discussions

5. Respite Services either in-home or through day centres or short-term residential care because it’s impossible to live without rest

·      Lower caregiver stress and better mental health outcomes for carers

·      Delayed institutionalisation of the person with dementia

6. Peer Support and Group Interventions both in-person and online because people say it is as if no one ever travelled this road before

·      A space to share experiences and reduce isolation.

·      Practical advice from peers

·      Normalisation of difficult feelings (like guilt or frustration)

7. Integrated Care Teams that include dementia specialists, social workers, and care coordinatorsbecause people fall through gaps between professional systems

·      Helps bridge fragmented services and ensures continuity of care

·      Reduces carer stress from navigating systems

·      Supports better planning for dementia disease progression

8. Financial Support and Carer’s Allowances because caregivers reduce paid work to provide care and at the same time have increased expenses

·      Payments simplified

·      Government recognition of public savings created by unpaid care work

9. Flexible Work Rights because the needs of people with dementia are unpredictable

·      Workers’ Right to Request Flexible Working eg paid time off, or unpaid leave, or flexibility around emergency care needs

10. Digital Innovation and Assistive Technology because not everything needs to be done in person by an exhausted human

·      remote monitoring, medication reminders, locator devices and home sensors

11. Dementia aware Communities and services to reduce stigma and make daily life easier for both people with dementia and their carers by:

·      Training businesses and services to be dementia-aware

·      Improving infrastructure including signage and accessibility

·      Creating welcoming spaces and inclusive events

·      Helping faith groups and other socially committed communities to know how they can help and support families of people with dementia

Get in touch with me here if you would like me to help you directly.