How to Cope When a Parent Has Young Onset Dementia

When a parent has young onset dementia (YOD), the whole family, including the children, is affected. Here is some coping advice from experts.

Advice from Ms Linda Lim, Advanced Practice Nurse/Nurse Clinician, Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, and tips from NNI ’s book Dementia: The Tangled Brain include:

• Be honest with children: Adults should not hide the fact that a parent has dementia from the children. If explaining the issue is difficult, get help from a professional or someone who understands dementia.
  
  
• Involve them: Children can play a supportive role in caring for a parent with YOD. They can subtly be encouraged to play games, such as pick-up sticks and crossword puzzles, with the parent to cognitively stimulate him.
  
  

Read on for more tips on how to cope with young onset dementia.

Read these next:

• Caring for Dementia Patients - Handle Feelings with Care
  
• Dementia Role Reversal: Who Is the Carer Now?
• How to Communicate with a Loved One with Dementia
• Managing Agitation and Aggression in Dementia
• Let’s talk about Vascular Dementia