HealthInfo Canterbury
Supporting someone with dementia
Tautoko mō ngā kaitiaki o te hunga mate korongenge
Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult and stressful and there may be challenges both physically and emotionally.
It's important to remember that you aren't alone and that there's support available.
Needing help doesn't mean that you aren't a good carer. Everyone who is caring for someone with a chronic illness will need support sometimes.
When someone has dementia, communication can become difficult – for them and for the people they live with or who are caring for them. But there are many ways to improve communication, such as taking time, focusing and being respectful. See Communicating with someone who has dementia for help with this.
Getting help with supporting someone with dementia
- The pages Self-care for memory loss & dementia and Dementia may help you to ensure that your family member or friend is getting all the support they need. This could include a Needs Assessment, financial support or referral to Dementia Canterbury.
- Dementia Canterbury has information on supporting someone with dementia and tips on looking after yourself. You can also watch recordings of some of their community education seminars.
- Find out if you qualify for Respite Care Services and Carer Support.
- Learn as much about dementia as possible by looking at the different support, education and information that's available.
- See Dementia books and resources, which provides selected books and other resources (ebooks, DVDs and CDs) on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing topics as part of the Reading in Mind scheme.
- Consider attending one of the courses held by Dementia Canterbury.
- Read this information from Alzheimer's New Zealand, which cover topics like personal care, preventing falls, nutrition, wandering and understanding behaviours.
- See the Ministry of Social Development's Guide for Carers for practical advice.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Safer Walking
Advice for if someone is at risk of getting lost or going missing when out and about in the community.
On the next page: Communicating with someone who has dementia
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed August 2022.
Sources
See also:
Review key: HIMLD-33325
