Finding the Dementia Support Programs You Need

Caring for someone living with dementia is challenging on so many levels. For most of us, there are aspects to providing care that require skills, training and education we feel we just don’t have. There are aspects to disease education and managing behaviors that are difficult to know. And there is also the stress and strain of providing care -- which for many of us is something we do on top of working and having a family of our own. 

In the past, reliable support and assistance have often been hard to find. But fortunately, a new website has been introduced that offers a free directory of support programs for people caring for loved ones with dementia that can provide some of the much-needed relief you need. 

Best Programs for Caregiving is an information-filled, easy-to-use, free website from Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and Family Caregiver Alliance that for the first time puts details about useful programs and services directly into the hands of the family caregivers who need them most. 

How can these programs help?   

There are numerous opportunities for you to get the help you need in almost every area of care including caregiving skills training, finding resources that support persons living with dementia and/or their caregivers, getting advice on practical decisions, reducing stress and anxiety caused by providing care, and planning for care in the future. 

Some programs are offered in person, some are online or by telephone to accommodate your busy schedule. Many programs are free of charge or have costs that are covered by insurance or government funding.  The new Best Programs for Caregiving website pinpoints programs that are available within your own area, identifies programs that have been adapted to meet the needs of diverse cultures and ethnicities, and provides information about how to enroll in them. 

Here’s a deeper dive into the types of services these proven programs can provide. 

Skills training and education programs 

Most people admittedly have little to no experience in caring for an aging loved one. Skills training programs are designed specifically to provide you with hands-on, practical information needed to physically take care of an older adult who may no longer be able to complete daily tasks on their own.  

Courses are delivered in multiple formats, including online, in classroom settings, and independent online study. In research studies these programs have been shown to increase participants’ knowledge and confidence in providing hands-on care. 

You’ll learn more about the disease, how to understand and manage challenging behaviors, and how to handle daily activities like bathing, meals and shopping. 

Stress reduction and caring for the caregiver

Providing care for someone with dementia can be time-consuming, stressful and exhausting, especially when you’re also employed or caring for a family of your own. Your own health and well-being are all-too-often overlooked. 

Several programs featured in Best Programs for Caregiving give you the tools to reduce the stress and anxiety you may experience. Programs advise how to improve your self-care, including diets, exercise and medical visits, and increase your understanding of how your own mental and physical well-being impacts the quality of care you’re able to provide. Stress reduction activities can include exercise, mental stimulation, and mindfulness exercises. Again, these programs have been proven through research to be effective. 

Care navigation programs

Care navigation programs, sometimes referred to as care consultation or care coaching programs, provide one-on-one assistance to caregivers by experienced professionals. They help you with finding resources and services to address virtually any type of problem or concern you may have. For example, care navigation programs help connect you to all types of community service programs, such as those that provide in-home help, meals, transportation, legal and financial guidance, as well as all types of healthcare services. Care navigators customize the assistance to meet your individual needs. They also help prioritize your needs, answer your questions, and serve as a sympathetic listener who understands the challenges of caregiving.

Many of these programs are offered by telephone or online to make them more convenient for your busy schedule.   

Visit the Best Programs for Caregivers website at bpc.caregiver.org.