Helpline: Tips for families supporting a loved one with dementia

A dementia diagnosis has a ripple effect across families. So where can you turn for information and support? 

This bonus episode is packed with tips for families who want to know more about how to support themselves and a family member living with dementia. 

Whether you live close to your loved one or further afield, Dementia Australia has many helpful resources and programs specially tailored to family members of any age, including children. 

If you’d like personalised support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. 

For more information, explore our support resources for family, friends, and carers or learn more about staying connected with loved ones. 

You can also listen to this episode of Hold the Moment to hear candid stories from families who have been impacted by a dementia diagnosis.  

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram and find support resources online. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan. 

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
- A dementia diagnosis can bedaunting, not just for you,
but for your family too.
I think constantly abouthow my diagnosis will impact
my children and their children.
I'm Jim Rogers, and I haveyounger-onset Alzheimer's.
Welcome to Hold the Moment.
It's a podcast from DementiaAustralia full of stories

(00:26):
about life after diagnosis.
Dementia Australia hassome really great resources
on its website for families and carers.
They even have a freespecialist counselling service
for families grappling withyounger-onset dementia.
We also have an entirepodcast episode on the impact
dementia can have on families.

(00:46):
You can download it rightnow in your podcast app,
but this short episodefeatures expert advice
from the National Dementia Helpline.
They're available 24-hours aday, every day of the year.
If you call, you'll speak toan advisor just like Kristen.
- I'm Kristen, an advisor onthe National Dementia Helpline.

(01:09):
When you call us, you'llspeak to someone like me.
We're a free service andwe're open to anyone.
People living with dementia,their carers and families,
even children under the ageof 18 can give us a call.
Family relationships can be complex
when there are multiple people involved

(01:30):
in caring for a loved onewho's living with dementia.
There can be different opinions
about what the right thing to do is.
It can be helpful to reach out
to a place like Dementia Australia,
to receive more informationand understanding,
to help create a path forwardthat everyone can agree to
even if it isn't their first choice.

(01:56):
It can be difficult whenyou're caring for kids,
and you're caring for a loved one
who has a diagnosis of dementia.
What are you meant to tellthe kids when they ask
all the questions that curious kids have?
You can always give usa call on the helpline,
we can talk you through some ideas,
and there's a fabulous website

(02:17):
that Dementia Australia offerscalled Dementia in My Family
that has information for kids of all ages,
and has a video that Ilove where kids talk about
what it's like to have aloved one in their family
living with dementia.
It can be hard to know how to best support

(02:37):
your loved one who's living with dementia.
You might wonder if you should be going
to all of their appointments with them.
Really, that's somethingthat's individual for everyone.
A lot of people find it helpfulto have someone come along
so that they can just listen
to their healthcare professional,and their helper person,

(02:58):
whoever that is, can writedown notes, ask questions
that they might have hadahead of time, maybe even help
with things like getting youto and from the appointment.
When someone in your familyis diagnosed with dementia
and they don't live close by in the way

(03:19):
that you traditionallythink of caring for someone,
there are some waysthat you can still help
and care from a distance.
You could contact theNational Dementia Helpline
for some ideas,
but a couple of tips arethings like helping out
with booking appointments,taking care of scheduling things.

(03:41):
You could order groceries to be delivered.
You could order arrangements of flowers
or anything to brighten someone's day.
You might wonder what kind ofsupports would be available
for your loved one who speaksa language other than English.
You can contact theNational Dementia Helpline

(04:02):
through the translationand interpreting service,
where you're able to accessour supports in the language
that you are comfortable with.
When you're diagnosed withyounger-onset dementia,
which means you're under 65 years of age,
you might have a lot moregoing on in your life,
and it can be helpful to seeksupport, not just for you,

(04:24):
but for your family members as well.
Dementia Australia offers afamily engagement programme,
which is a free support servicefor you and your family.
Everyone responds differently,
which is why it can behelpful to find supports.

(04:44):
It might be in your cultural community,
in your spiritual community,your friends, family,
or you can always call Dementia Australia,
whatever your age.
Dementia Australia ishere to support families.
- The helpline is not just forpeople living with dementia,

(05:05):
it's for their families and carers too.
If you've got any questions
about anything you'veheard on this episode,
just contact the NationalDementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.
Their trained advisors areavailable 24-hours a day,
every day of the year.
Don't forget, there's lots ofepisodes of Hold the Moment

(05:27):
for you to explore right now.
The series is designed to help you
with lots of issues you might be facing,
whether it's getting your affairs in order
after a dementia diagnosis,
adjusting to new exerciseor sleep routines,
or advice on gettingaround town and travelling.
Make sure you or a family member
helps you hit "follow" on Hold the Moment,

(05:50):
because we've got anew series coming soon.
It's focused on carers and family members.
If you hit "follow" in your podcast app,
you'll be alerted whenour next series comes out.
This episode was producedby Deadset Studios
for Dementia Australia.