When you’re caring for a person living with dementia, there are many factors to consider. However, one of the first is learning how to confront the stigma of dementia that still exists in today’s world.
Whether it arises from a lack of education about the subject, or a more general discomfort that comes from the unknown, the word dementia often becomes associated with something to be avoided, hidden, or feared.
At Brickmont Assisted Living, we are committed to removing the stigma of dementia and creating communities of support and understanding. Although dementia causes clear and irreversible changes in a person’s brain, it does not have to be something that makes us afraid.
Instead, if we can see dementia as a change not only in a person’s brain but in our relationship with that person, it empowers us to be more patient, flexible, and accepting of change.
The Stigma of Dementia
For various reasons, many people have learned to associate dementia with negative feelings and outcomes. One of the most important contributing factors to this is a lack of understanding and education about the subject.
Family members who care for a person living with dementia may feel unprepared and overwhelmed by the changes that are occurring – many of which seem may seem unpredictable or inconsistent from one day to the next. The stress related to these changes is coupled with a profound sadness about the shifting nature of the relationship. As a defense mechanism, family members may choose to avoid the subject, or may become upset by the mention of the word.
However, it does not have to be this way. At Brickmont Assisted Living, we take pride in offering compassionate dementia care to individuals and families in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding areas. Our team is here to help answer your questions and support your caregiving efforts.
Reimagining Relationships
One of the most important things to remember about dementia is that it causes changes to a person’s brain – not their character. Although a person living with dementia may act differently or become increasingly forgetful over time, they are still a whole person with the same needs and desires as everyone else: to feel safe, to be loved, and to have purpose.
Your previous relationship with the family member – whether it was as a daughter, son, sibling, or spouse – will change as well. As the brain continues to change, a person living with dementia will require you to take on new roles and responsibilities. Although these changes may seem daunting, they do not have to be negative.
You have the opportunity as a care partner to play a vital role in the life of a person living with dementia. Each day is a new chance to share kindness, joy, and love. But it requires a new way of thinking about dementia. It requires thinking of dementia not as a problem to be feared or even conquered, but a transition into a new way of life. Not a bad way of life – a new way.
Isolation of Caregiving
One other stigma of dementia that must be addressed is the isolation of caregiving. So many people believe that they must do everything on their own. Often due to the stigma around the subject, people find it difficult to talk about dementia openly. It becomes something to hide – and as a result, caregivers become isolated and alone.
At Brickmont Assisted Living, we provide the care and support families need to navigate dementia care. Our specially-trained team creates programs and care plans that are based on each resident’s past interests, physical abilities, and care needs, contributing to a person’s overall wellness including physical, emotional, and social needs.
When you are caring for a person living with dementia, you never have to do it on your own. We are here to help you through every step of your family’s memory care journey. Together, we can change the conversation about dementia, removing the stigma in the process.
Brickmont Assisted Living offers highly skilled dementia care throughout the Atlanta, Georgia, area. For more information about our assisted living and memory care communities, please contact our team today.
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