Maybe you’re trying to repay them after everything they’ve done for you. Or maybe you’re hesitant to trust someone else with their care. Or maybe your loved one just flat-out refuses additional help from a memory care community. Whatever the situation, being the primary caregiver for a family member with dementia is hard. And feelings of guilt are likely to creep in along the way.
Caregiver guilt is an extremely real and painful experience, and it comes in many different forms. Feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caregiving, feeling impatient with your loved one, or even blaming yourself for things that have happened are common. Guilt can often lead to feelings of shame, depression, anxiety, anger, and even resentment towards the person you’re caring for.
The realization that you are no longer able to care for your loved one with dementia is an unsure and overwhelming process. It’s tough to let go and turn to additional support, especially when your loved one is refusing. Caregiver guilt can have real consequences for the relationship with your loved one if it goes on too long. But at the end of the day, you must do what’s best for both of you. Their health and safety matter most, and so does your well-being .
A dementia diagnosis flips your world upside down and realizing that you can no longer care for your family member is a lot to bear. Fortunately, there are ways to cope with the guilt you are dealing with.
After deciding that additional support is needed, you’ll probably ask yourself: What now?
As dementia progresses into the later stages, it may be time to consider memory care. Memory care communities are designed to meet the needs of individuals facing cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Our team at Buckingham Heights is specially trained to focus on the unique strengths and needs of every resident. Your loved one will receive personalized care and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, grooming, and dressing. Additionally, on-site nursing staff are available to address any health concerns that arise, providing you with both comfort and peace of mind.
Our community is dedicated to creating a warm, comfortable, and safe space where your loved one can feel right at home. We also offer around-the-clock memory care activities schedule intended to stimulate the mind and ensure that every resident is left entirely fulfilled. Some of these activities include daily exercise programs, music and pet therapy, social gatherings, happy hours, and holiday parties.
At Buckingham Heights, our memory care community offers more than just a place to live — it’s a new beginning filled with meaningful possibilities. We understand that the transition into memory care can be a challenging and emotional decision. That’s why we’re here to walk alongside your loved one on their dementia journey, offering compassionate support every step of the way. Contact us today!
Being a caregiver can bring stress, worry, exhaustion, and guilt. Taking care of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia can mentally drain a person as much as they may deny it. This disease takes a powerful tole not only on the diagnosed but the people surrounding them, in different ways.
As a caregiver, it is important to feel supported and not alone in the process of taking care of a loved one. We are lucky today there are many care options for loved ones suffering with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and options for caregivers. Let’s talk about the importance of support groups in caregivers’ journeys…
While caregivers are usually never alone, it’s easy to feel alone and isolated. Caregivers spend most of their time caring for someone else in every way possible, it’s difficult to remember to take care of themselves. It can also be difficult to accept memory care for your loved one as you’re so used to it, but sometimes it’s what it needs to turn too.
Support groups help you develop relationships with people who have similar stories to you whether that be with their parents, spouse, sibling, or a friend. In these discussions, you would be exchanging information between other caregivers like yourself, it could even turn into finding solutions to the problems you’re having. Advice from others can go a long way.
A support group gives you access to other people’s experiences, they can relate to you through their own challenges with their loved one. You as a caregiver can discuss what you have gone through and seek advice from others in the same position. You can share your true feelings in a safe space meant for venting and coping with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
There are many resources out there to caregivers and family members of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Click here to find support groups in your area.
Book a tour here to see if we’re the right fit.
More Support Group Resources:
Eldercare Locator – https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Resources/Topic/Caregiver.aspx
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) – http://lists.caregiver.org/mailman/listinfo/caregiver-online_lists.caregiver.org