3.25 When living alone may no longer be possible

For the person living with dementia

While it can be challenging to think ahead to a time when you will need a lot more help or move to supported accommodation, early decisions can help ensure you have a say in where and how you will live.

For carers

Making decisions about changes to where the person you support will live to be better supported is a sensitive topic and conversations can be emotionally charged. However, starting these conversations soon after diagnosis and addressing small concerns first can make this process easier.

For both of you

The Alzheimer Society of Canada has prepared a comprehensive checklist of topics to consider when having conversations about living alone with dementia. You can access this checklist here

Working through this checklist with the person with dementia, the carer and other family will highlight how much risk different parties are happy to tolerate. It also provides ideas for benefits of living alone in a familiar environment versus moving to supported accommodation as well as strategies to avoid common problems when living alone with dementia.

Some other ideas about managing when living alone with dementia include:

• Get In-home support or a reassessment for increased in home support. Ask your GP or practice nurse for a referral for NDIS (if you are under 65 years) or Aged Care Assessment Team (if you are over 65 years) to understand your options for support and care in your home. You can read more in Section 5.5 Types of service
• Have a family member move in with you. Sarah and her husband were unable to afford the deposit for a home in their city. They drew up a legal arrangement with Sarah’s Mum to move into the family home to provide support in conjunction with in-home services in return for living rent free.
• Inspect a range of supported accommodation/ residential care and choose a couple of places that you would consider moving to. This can be very challenging, but it ensures your voice is heard in this decision. Bobby had visited and chosen two nursing homes she would move to if and when the time came.

Photo: Ravi Patel via Unsplash.