Free for Clients (and Staff): A Guide to Dementia Care

If you’re a provider of home care services, you know that caring for a client living with dementia takes specialized knowledge and skill. Being able to recognize and adapt to changes in cognitive skills, personal care needs, and personality — and helping family caregivers do so as well — is often the result of years of experience as well as training.

Most people, however, don’t train to be dementia caregivers, and family caregivers can experience fear and anxiety as they face the unknown. But even experienced professionals can be challenged by day-to-day uncertainties, for all dementia caregivers are addressing similar concerns.

How can you alleviate your dementia care clients’ anxiety and help them feel better able to navigate the journey? How can you help your professional staff hone their dementia caregiving skills? A new resource developed by CareScout can help: our Guide to Dementia Care: What You Need to Know. It is addressed to the family caregiver but is suitable for all caregivers. And it’s available, free, for you to share with your clients and staff. 

Guide to Dementia Care offers a comprehensive view of the nonmedical aspects of the dementia care journey. It’s a general guide that walks the family caregiver through the day-to-day of caring for a loved one with dementia at home using a person-centered care approach. Topics include:

• Preparing for the road ahead  

• About the dementia journey 

• How person-centered care helps 

• Coping with stigma 

• Creating a dementia-friendly environment 

• Establishing routines  

• Communicating with care 

• Engaging in meaningful activities 

• Providing personal care 

• Planning for the future 

• Practicing self-care 

Although a dementia diagnosis signals major changes ahead, helping your clients take a person-centered approach to caring for their loved one, as outlined in this guide, can help ensure that their loved one’s goals, preferences, and values are honored every step of the way.

The steps in this Guide can also help your dementia clients feel informed and stay engaged, deepening their partnership with you in delivering a safe plan of care. The road ahead may be paved with challenges, but having the right information in addition to the quality care you are already providing can help your dementia care clients enjoy their best possible quality of life.