Support For Carers

Home > Information and Support > Support For Carers

You are not alone

Caring for someone with Lewy body dementia can be challenging and stressful. You may feel overwhelmed by the changes in your loved one’s personality and behaviour. You may also face practical difficulties, such as managing medications, arranging appointments and finding suitable care services.

But you are not alone. There is information and support available to help you cope with Lewy body dementia and provide the best possible care for your loved one.

How to cope as a carer

Dementia can affect how someone sees and experiences the world due to physical changes in the brain. This may lead to the person having difficulty recognising and managing their emotions due to low mood, apathy or frustration.

Understanding that changes in emotions are part of the person’s dementia can be an important first step in helping you understand and respond to them sensitively.

There are practical steps you can take to help the person feel more at ease and cope with some of the more challenging symptoms:

Focus on the person’s strengths rather than on the things they have difficulty with
Break tasks down into small steps, explaining as you go
If the person experiences apathy and sudden changes in alertness, offer to do activities together if possible or seek help from someone else – they may respond to a different person more positively
Encourage activity in the mornings or when the person is less tired
Treatments for anxiety and/or depression may be effective for some people with dementia. Speak to your GP about options, which might include medication and/or talking therapies
If there are any changes in physical health such as incontinence, difficulty swallowing or constipation, speak to the person’s GP

It is important to take care of yourself as well, when you are a carer. Easier said than done, we know.

Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline - You are not alone

If you would like to talk to a specialist dementia nurse you can call the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 (Monday-Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm) or email helpline@dementiauk.org

Or to book a phone or video appointment, please visit www.dementiauk.org/book-an-appointment

We are able to provide funding towards this important service with the generosity of our fantastic supporters. Thank you.

Find out more

We have a library of downloadable leaflets with expert advice to help you understand all aspects of life with Lewy body dementia