Gail Elliot

I am writing this blog with a heavy heart. My long journey of caring for my mother has come to an end. In fact, it came to an end more than six months ago. I've tried finishing this blog many times, but I found it very hard to say, "It's done." I miss my mother more than I could ever have imagined. Each person who supports a loved one with dementia has a different story. Some are better, easier, than others. This is mine.

Dementia care is provided by people who are paid staff (including all types of health care providers) as well as family, friends, volunteers and neighbours (to name a few). In dementia care, we provide many different types of support and care. "Care" can include anything from helping with household tasks to addressing basic social needs (e.g. a phone call or chat) to helping with tasks of daily life (such as getting dressed or finding the toilet).

The hallmark feature of dementia is memory loss. Supporting memory loss must therefore be a high priority in dementia care. This blog is about how we can use practical ideas such as using an agenda to support memory loss. An agenda offers the benefits of providing important details, and predictability, related to daily routines. Many of us use an agenda to support our memory. Think about it – we use an agenda, yet we don't have dementia.