Tips for maintaining relationships through dementia

Stigma and misunderstanding can cause many people living with dementia to experience loneliness and social exclusion. If your friend or loved one has dementia, your relationship may change, but it will stay just as important.

Keep creating experiences

When you have a great time out with a loved one living with dementia, it can be disheartening if they immediately forget about it. But although they might not remember the day out, it’s likely that they will remember the feelings of happiness and love they experienced. Your visits are important and do make a difference!

Focus on emotions

People with dementia can get easily confused, which often leads to anxiety and frustration. If your loved one has misremembered a situation, rather than correcting them, focus on the emotions they’re demonstrating and react according to these.

Talk about the good old days!

People living with dementia often have impaired short-term memory, with a better level of long-term memory. Try asking them questions about themselves when they were younger or about specific events in their past. It’s a great way to get the conversation flowing and to spark feelings of comfort and happiness.

At Radfield Home Care we offer a free Dementia Friends session, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, for anyone who would like to find out more about supporting those living with dementia.

To become a Dementia Friend or to talk about how we may be able to support you in caring for a loved one, please call 01780 755 722 or email us on [email protected].