Reinvention

There’s a lot of re-inventing the wheel for us when we become caregivers.

It makes sense that we have to learn how to deal with the many difficulties of dementia when it strikes.

We have to learn to take on the responsibility for another person. We have to learn how to take care of ourselves.

Dementia attacks us, caregiver and the afflicted darling of our soul, in a decidely personal way.

We re-invent how to deal with it because of how personal that attack is. We face dementia as if it never happened before because it never happened to us before.

The first thing you need to do after you confirm the diagnosis is to find support. The groups at Caring Kind and alz.org will help. Your neurologist’s office will give you access to the social worker on staff. Take advantage of all the programs for yourself. Burt was not inclined to join a group, but there are those for your pwd also.

Persons with Lewy Body can turn to either Lewy Body Dementia Association or the Lewy Body Resource Center for help. I was a participant in the online spouses group, which was invaluable.

The support will help you in  navigating the intricacies of the disease. You’ll ask how and why and others who are navigating through the disease will advise you.

Asking for help is so hard. Not asking will prove harder. You’ll ask questions others probably asked along the way. The answers you’ll get will help you learn.