Caring for a loved one with dementia can be incredibly challenging. This forum is a space for discussing tough topics and emotions. This differs from everyday rants and frustrations section.
This is for deeper emotional struggles.
These are more intense feelings tied to grief, sadness, guilt, anger, or anxiety about your loved one’s decline, or your ability to handle caregiving long-term.
They often linger, affecting your mood for days or weeks, and may not easily go away even after venting.
Examples:
Not liking this person you are taking care of.
Grief over the loss of who they used to be.
Feeling powerless to help as the disease progresses.
Sense of sadness as you witness their cognitive decline and loss of independence.
You might already feel a form of "anticipatory grief," mourning their gradual decline even though they’re still physically present.
You feel angry at the disease for taking away your loved one’s personality and memories.
You might feel resentment toward the situation—frustrated that your life has been changed or restricted by caregiving responsibilities. Why me? Why them? Why us?
There could be anger toward other family members who aren’t helping enough or who don’t understand the burden you carry.
Constant worry about what the future holds for your loved one, wondering how much worse things will get.
Anxiety about making the right decisions—whether about medical care, finances, or their daily routine.
Fear of what will happen when you can no longer care for them, or if you’ll face similar issues yourself as you age.
Isolation in your role as a caregiver, as though no one else fully understands what you're going through.
Social connections may have dwindled because you’re too focused on caregiving to maintain friendships or personal time.
Feeling powerless watching their condition deteriorate despite your best efforts to care for them.
Struggling with the fact that, no matter how hard you try, there’s no way to stop the progression of the disease.
Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of caregiving, unsure of how to meet their growing needs.
You might feel embarrassed when your loved one behaves in ways that are socially inappropriate due to their dementia.
Feelings of shame if you experience moments of frustration or anger toward your loved one, especially if you lose your temper.
And finally -
The constant emotional toll of caregiving can leave you feeling emotionally drained, not just physically tired.
You may feel burnt out from balancing caregiving with other life responsibilities, like work, family, or personal health.
These are all normal emotions to feel when caring for a PWD - and from my personal experience.
Please add yours too.