Learning to Live Well With Dementia

Experts Laura Gitlin and Nancy Hodgson emphasize that people with dementia need better life options, reports the Washington Post . Drexel University's Gitlin and the University of Pennsylvania's Hodgson advise people newly diagnosed with dementia to take advantage of assistive resources such as the Alzheimer's Association, the Lewy Body Dementia Association, the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, and the government's alzheimers.gov website. They also recommend individuals and families secure referrals to senior law attorneys, financial planners, adult day centers, respite services, and caregiver support services. "People are not given access to the resources they need to plan for the future," notes Hodgson. Although most people with dementia live at home, few professionals query into their living arrangements, even though these environments are key to shaping people's safety and well-being. Hodgson says when on their own, individuals with dementia and their caregivers "tend to move inwards and away from their communities, which fosters isolation, which worsens their sense of despair." Among the strategies she and Gitlin suggest for better living are paying attention to the home environment and removing potential hazards, perhaps by hiring an occupational therapist to assess the home and recommend changes. Another suggestion is setting routines to instill predictability and structure to help people with dementia get through the day.