When you receive the results of your assessment at the clinic or from scans, you will now have a better idea of what you are fighting.
Yes – fighting! It can be a very scary time when we receive bad news. We all tend to know just a little about dementia, unfortunately we generally know about the stigma associated with it. There are ways of living positively with dementia, you can still do many of the things you have always done. There may be things you find more challenging, and you may find you need the support of your family and friends.
If it’s a loved one you are enquiring about, don’t forget to look after yourself too. Register as a carer with your GP and make sure your local Carers Service know about you. This means you will receive extra support and be sign posted to the services you may need.
Life after a dementia diagnosis
Following a diagnosis, your GP or consultant should be able to treat you appropriately for the particular condition you have. If you visit the Alzheimer’s Society Website, you will find everything you need to know.
Below is a link to their fact sheets on the most common causes.
Alzheimer’s disease – Click here to see fact sheet
Vascular dementia – Click here to see fact sheet
Lewy bodies – Click here to see fact sheet
Frontotemporal dementia – Click here to see fact sheet
If you are going to be the main carer, you should seek the support of your local carer’s information and support service as soon as possible. Even if you don’t feel you need it initially, the sooner you are registered the better. They will assess your needs as a carer and signpost you to valuable services you are probably not aware exist.
As a family member supporting someone with dementia you are keeping down the cost of dementia care to your local health authority. Your input is as valuable to them as it is to your loved one.
Dementia is not something you should be ashamed of, but unfortunately, it does often carry negative stigma. Please don’t be afraid to talk to your friends and family about your diagnosis, you can live normally you just may need some support as the disease progresses.
There are also a number of self help groups on Facebook, which you may find are a great support.
