I feel as though I have a new appreciation for this question I hear from my caregiver audience as I’ve recently had my first baby. Yes, we read all the books. Yes, I’d been advertised-to on Instagram from the second I announced my pregnancy with all the gadgets and products you could want. Yes, we’d done the homework on all the important questions and ensured our son’s nursery was set up.
But nothing could actually prepare us/me for actually having the baby. Honestly, the birth was nothing as we planned or hoped for. I ended up with preeclampsia—a serious condition where my blood pressure was incredibly high, endangering me and my baby—and spent six days in a hospital bed that ended in an emergency C-section. That certainly wasn’t the plan.
It got me thinking: although there is so much information out there about caring for a new baby, there truly isn’t anything that prepares you for having and caring for that baby…much like caring for someone living with dementia. And, let’s face it, there is WAY LESS information out there for dementia caregivers.
When I started writing my first book in 2014, I found myself amazed at the sheer lack of information out there for caregivers looking to transition a person living with dementia into a dementia care community. There was nothing useful online or in bookstores. I was able to fill a knowledge gap with my first book, but the questions kept coming: “Where do we start?” “How do I know it’s time to move someone?” “What do I do when my loved one is doing XYZ?”
My answer to, “Where do I even start?” probably isn’t that great, because if you’re reading this, you’ve already taken the first step I recommend: you’re here. You’ve begun your journey by reading and educating yourself about dementia caregiving.
You’re in the right place. Thanks for being here.
If you’re reading this, you’ve also opted into my paid subscription, where I’ll provide regular updates and answers inside of my blog via written content, audio posts and video clips. I’ll answer your emailed questions (rachael@dementiabyday.com) inside of this blog so others can see them.
So, start here.
