What Dementia Taught Me

When Mum was diagnosed with dementia, I read everything I could find. Communication tips, behaviours, validation, redirection, self-care... you name it, I read it.

Some of it helped, and it's a great place to start. But I also found myself wondering why certain techniques worked for everyone else and not for us.

What I eventually realised is that dementia affects everyone differently. Every person brings their own personality, habits, fears and life experiences into the disease. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.

So I stopped trying to follow every recommendation and started paying attention to Mum. I adjusted, experimented, and gradually discovered what worked for her.

That's what these articles are about. They're simply the lessons dementia taught me about my mum. If something isn't working for you, it doesn't necessarily mean you're failing. It may just mean you haven't found what works for your loved one yet.

• Handling Accusations of Stealing as a Caregiver for a Loved One with Dementia

• Why Routine Is So Important in Helping My Loved One with Dementia

• What I Learned About Dementia Behaviours

• Caring From Afar - The New Normal For Caregivers

• Kitchen Safety Tips for People Living with Dementia

• Dementia and Depth Perception

• Dementia and Host Mode

• Motion Sensor Lights for Dementia

• Asking The Same Questions. Repetition and Dementia

• Carefully Built but Easily Disrupted: A House of Cards

• Caring For a Loved One, From a Different Time Zone