
Navigating Grief Throughout Caregiving: Six Essential Tips / Alzheimer's and Other Dementias
The Caregiver's JourneyShow Notes
Have you noticed yourself feeling sad when your loved one can't remember their phone number? Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends or losing patience more easily? These feelings might be grief—and you may not even realize it's happening.
We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we've learned that grief doesn't only come after our loved one passes away. It's present throughout our entire caregiving journey, from the moment of diagnosis through each individual change along the way.
The good news is that understanding grief—recognizing it, honoring it, and learning to move through it without getting stuck—can transform how we experience our caregiving journey. Today we're sharing six essential tips to help you navigate grief with grace and compassion.
Connect with us and share your tips:
Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/ Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/ Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Full Show Notes
Additional Resources Mentioned
Guide: Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/guides/ Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney
Takeaways
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When someone gets a diagnosis of dementia, there are two people who need to be cared for: the person living with dementia and you, the primary caregiver.” Nancy Treaster
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Did your loved one recently receive a diagnosis of dementia? Have you already worked through the first six steps of the Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap? If so, you’ve built a solid foundation, and it’s time to keep going.
“There’s no perfect option out there, and there’s no community that’s going to check every single box.” — Kelly Graffius
"Two words have been the foundation of every decision I made across all of my caregiving roles — safe and happy. Before every choice, I would ask, does this help my loved one be safe? And does this support them being happy?" — Sue Ryan