Difficulties with memory and thinking are two of the defining features of dementia, though in young-onset dementia other symptoms may predominate. The types of memory problems that people with dementia experience, especially early in the course of dementia vary widely.
Different types of dementia will have different impacts on memory. For example, some people will be very forgetful of events, others may have more difficulty remembering faces. Usually, short-term memory of recent things is harder to recall, while memory for people and events in the medium to distant past is easier to recall.
There are many strategies for ‘working around’ or even addressing problems with memory and thinking.
Some people with dementia are more bothered by the way that their memory and thinking problems interfere with their lives, rather than the problems themselves. Some of the suggested strategies and therapies focus on improving memory and thinking whereas others focus on minimising the impact of thinking difficulties on daily life.
If you are a supporter of someone living with dementia there is a lot you can do to help the person adjust to and manage their symptoms. You can directly assist, such as providing reminders, making tasks simpler, or you can act as an advocate to help get treatments and therapies, such as cognitive stimulation or occupational therapy.
If the person you care for with dementia has lost motivation to do things that they normally enjoy, read the Loss of Motivation in Dementia – A Guide for Carers publication, recently developed by researchers at the University of Sydney.
Many carers describe supporting someone close to them as a privilege; but constantly ‘thinking for two’ can be mentally and physically exhausting. Some symptoms, like being asked the same question repeatedly, can be draining. Supporting the person is not about giving up your life, it’s about making good choices that support the person with dementia to function better and lighten the load for you at the same time.
Use the My life plan worksheet and consider strategies from others with young-onset dementia
Read some coping tips and strategies compiled by others living with young-onset dementia.
Print the My life plan worksheet and go through it with the person you support. Help them to write down their goals then:
- identify barriers that get in the way, and
- identify strategies from this website to overcome those barriers.
Photo: Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash.
