Coping with confusion and hallucinations

Coping with confusion and hallucinations

It was the strangest situation. My mum rang me one evening and told me that there were people in her living room refusing to leave. She said they were standing around talking and ignoring her. I asked her to put one of them on the phone to me, and I heard her saying:...
A flexible approach is best

A flexible approach is best

Before I began caring for my mum, I used to plan everything in my life. I was a total control freak. Everything had to be scheduled and my goals all had deadlines. It may sound boring it certainly didn’t do my career any harm. I enjoyed having control over my daily...
What to do when your loved one refuses to see the GP

What to do when your loved one refuses to see the GP

It’s a common situation to be in. Your loved one may be starting to show signs of dementia but they refuse to see their GP. If you are worried about their memory and their cognitive function in general, you may have tried to talk to them and express your...
Encouraging a loved one to accept help and support

Encouraging a loved one to accept help and support

Expert advice from former dementia carer, NHS expert and medical writer Mary Jordan. Mary Jordan has first-hand experience of dementia through caring for relatives and through her work for Alzheimer’s Society. She also has many years of experience working for the...
Coping with nuisance calls

Coping with nuisance calls

If you are caring for a loved one with dementia who lives alone, or even if you live with them but can’t be there 24/7, you may be concerned about whether others may be trying to take advantage of the person when you’re not there. My mum struggled to manage household...
Christmas with a person with dementia

Christmas with a person with dementia

If you’re thinking ahead to what you’ll be doing with your family this Christmas, you may be wondering what would be best for a person with dementia.  Christmas can be a challenging time for the person you are caring for and equally difficult for you as a carer. It...