Why Do I Love Doing This?
Every time I sit down with a family member who’s caring for someone living with dementia, I see it — the moment when something clicks. Their shoulders relax. Their breathing slows. The tension that’s been building for weeks, months, or even years finally has a release. It’s the relief that comes from a better understanding of what their loved one is experiencing, and from knowing they are not alone in this journey. For me….it’s pure joy to see this happen for someone.
As a dementia care consultant, I am allowed the privilege of guiding people through some of the roughest moments of their lives. Coaching them through challenges, helping them find practical solutions, and watching their confidence grow is deeply rewarding. I love helping families at any stage of the journey but what impresses me most is when someone reaches out before the crisis hits.
These are the families who say:
“We want to get ahead of this.”
Why Early Understanding Changes Everything
When families start consulting early, before dementia has progressed too far, we set the stage for a more graceful journey. We strengthen communication so misunderstandings don’t spiral into frustration. We explore brain change and what that really means – what it looks like in day to day activities. We get a step ahead, understanding how words, actions, and responses can be the catalyst for good experiences and for bad ones. We dispel myths, shift the way we think about brain change and creatively maintain independence, purpose and meaningful engagement for the person living with dementia. We explore support system options so that we don’t have to make rash decisions at a time when exhaustion makes it hard to think.
The truth is, dementia will bring changes — expected and unexpected. But with early guidance, those changes become less overwhelming. The couple, the family, and the person living with dementia all have a shared understanding, a plan, and tools they can lean on when challenges arise.
Why Wait?
No one steps onto a sports field or a theatre stage without practice. So why do we wait until “game time”, “curtain up” or the moment of crisis to seek help in dementia care?
When we start practicing early, we build a skill set that will carry us through the most difficult moments. We know the plays. We’ve rehearsed the cues. And when the big things happen, we don’t panic. We breathe. We remember the training, the education, and the strategies we’ve been practicing. Then, we put them to work.
This Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Necessity
Some may think that working with a dementia care consultant is “extra” or “nice to have.” I strongly disagree. Yes, you can get away without it. Hunker down, weather the storm. People do it all the time. But then what are the consequences for the caregiver or the person they are caring for? Who’s health suffers when the stress piles up? What is the emotional toll and the physical strain going to amount to? I feel strongly that consulting support along with other community resources is not a luxury but a necessity. I see the impact every day of what it looks like – both with support and without. I have seen where expertise and guidance literally changes lives, making the tough time bearable and the good times, greater. It’s not that I have all the answers or some secret recipe for success but I have witnessed the shifts in a person’s quality of life when I can be a beacon for education, validation, modeling, coaching, emotional support and even humor along this crazy dementia journey.
If you or someone you love is starting to notice changes, now is the time. Let’s begin building the skills, strategies, and understanding that will help you adapt with confidence and compassion before things get difficult.
Dementia will change things – but with the right support, you can change too – together.
Let’s keep this conversation going
If this message spoke to you, please share it with someone who might be feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, or simply ready to prepare for the road ahead. The more we talk about dementia early, the more we can create a world where caregivers feel confident, people living with dementia feel supported, and no one has to walk this path alone.
Senior Moments Consulting 