What does caring for someone with dementia involve?

Caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. Some carers are in paid roles, but often carers are family or loved ones of the person with dementia. This is often unpaid. It involves managing many things every day. In some cases, this may include working or studying while you care for someone with dementia.

Caregiving can be physically and emotionally demanding, so you need to look after yourself. You may feel you need to give more time and energy as the person with dementia needs more care.

Caring for someone with dementia may involve different tasks. These may vary or increase over time, as the person’s needs change.

Examples of responsibilities include making sure that the person you care for takes the right medicines at the right time, arranging shopping or meals, or helping the person with bathing, toileting or incontinence.

You may have different legal powers and responsibilities as a carer, depending on your role and relationship with the person you care for. This may also change over time as the condition of the person you care for changes.

Learning about dementia can be helpful. It can also help to talk with family, friends and other people in a similar situation.

What support is available to a carer?

If you are a carer, you can get support in your important and demanding role.

Being a carer can become more difficult over time. You may find it hard to balance your needs with those of your family and the person with dementia.

Carers can get a wide range of help — from counselling and peer support groups to respite care, home help and equipment.

It is important you ask for help — no one will know you need it unless you ask. Friends and family can be a great support. When they offer to help, accept it.

Suggest ways that friends and family can help, such as by bringing a meal, helping with the housework or shopping. Even those who live far away can help with arranging appointments or managing paperwork.

In-home care

In-home care includes a range of services given at the home of someone with dementia to help them keep living there. Some examples of services include:

• companion services — helping with supervision or recreational activities
• personal care services — help with bathing, dressing and toileting
• homemaker services — help with preparing food, shopping and housekeeping
• skilled care — wound care, injections and other medical needs
• transportation
• minor home maintenance and repairs.

There are many organisations that can help, such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), My Aged Care and Veterans’ Home Care.