Second Family Home Care is fortunate to have partnered with many professionals in the senior health and living industry as part of our ongoing effort to provide the best services and resources we can for our clients.
One of those professionals is Dr. Ann Allen, a well-known and highly regarded Psychologist in Plano, Texas. Dr. Allen has graciously allowed Second Family Home Care to post one of her commentaries this week. These are Dr. Allen’s insights for family caregivers of those with dementia.
Providing care for a loved one living with the symptoms of dementia is one of life’s most challenging experiences. It is often a confusing and uncertain journey for both the family caregiver and their loved one. The symptoms of the disease vary from day to day, week to week, and month to month. The family caregiver frequently questions what they should be doing differently or how they could be more helpful. Most family caregivers begin to feel inadequate, guilty, and helpless. Many experience a sense of being overwhelmed and physically exhausted. The family caregiver may also be grieving and coping with the disappointment that their personal life situation is not what they expected it to be. Life has dealt the family caregiver and their loved one a hand that is unfamiliar and unpredictable.
The family caregiver’s ability to give their best to their loved one is greatly influenced by their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Being aware of what one can control and making small individual changes to experience less distress greatly benefits the family caregiver as well as their loved one. The individual coping with the symptoms of dementia will experience less distress when the caregiver feels more comfortable and secure in themselves.
Give your loved one the gift of peaceful caregiving by taking time to heal and prepare yourself for the journey.
©2011 by Ann Allen, Ph.D.
All Rights Reserved
Dr. Ann Allen specializes in geriatric and clinical psychology. She has practiced individual and family therapy for those caring for loved ones with dementia related disorders for the past 20 years. Dr. Allen is accepting new clients and is a Medicare provider. If you would like information on how to contact Dr. Allen please fill out the online contact form on this page.