How To Deal With A Dementia Diagnosis
Been diagnosed with dementia? If you’re currently aware of your condition, it’s a good sign as it means it’s the early stages.
While it’s true that dementia is a progressive disease with no current cure, there are ways to slow down this disease and make it less daunting as it progresses. Below are just a few tips for dealing with a dementia diagnosis.
Talk to doctors and therapists
Doctors can tell you more about how to manage your condition and may even be able to help you look into medication trials and programs. Therapists or counsellors can meanwhile help you to manage your feelings. Make sure to explore these support options.
Stay connected to friends and family
While social interaction can become harder as dementia progresses, socially isolating yourself could make symptoms progress faster. Surround yourself with friends and family to keep your mind sharp. Family and friends can also offer you support if you need it.
Express your feelings
Don’t be afraid to share your feelings with people you trust. Bottling up your feelings could make you feel lonely and depressed. Be honest with people if you are feeling confused, and tell people what your fears are. You may even be able to connect with other people who have early stage dementia in order to share your feelings.
Take steps to slow progression
There are several steps you can take to potentially slow down the progression of dementia. Many studies show that a healthy diet and plenty of exercise can have positive effects. Staying social, as discussed already, can also help keep your mind sharp. Mental stimulation through creative hobbies and puzzles may also keep you alert longer. Finally, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep – sleep is an essential process to helping us store memories.
Explore memory aids
Memory aids can help you to stay on top of routine tasks and appointments. You can set alarms on your phone to maintain a schedule, take notes in a diary to stop you forgetting things or use equipment like pill organisers to help with medication.
Plan for the future
While you’re still compos mentis enough to make your own decisions, consider making plans regarding the future. You may be able to currently work and or even drive, but you should consider what will happen when you can’t – notify your employer and insurer could be necessary. You could even consider looking into future care options such as at-home carers or care homes, allowing you to plan the care you would like to receive. On top of this, consider setting up power of attorney and writing a will if you have not done so already.
Make the most of nowIt’s important to not spend too much time worrying about the future, and to make the most of the time you have now while you still have most of your faculties intact. Reconnect with people you’ve been meaning to see again, travel to places you’ve always wanted to go, try activities you’ve always wanted to do and work on leaving behind your legacy. You could even consider taking part in charity events like memory walks to help raise funding for dementia research. If you’re still working, consider quitting work now and exploring early pension access or benefits could give you the time and money to do these things. Don’t keep putting things off that you can do right now.
