Understanding Grief When a Loved One Has Dementia

Grief specialist Dawn Delahoye is supporting people with terminal illness and their caregivers, promoting intentional self care and accepting help when offered.  After caring for her dad during his experience with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), Dawn gained valuable personal perspective that made her understand the needs of caregivers.  People who support someone with a neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease) often face a unique caregiving situation. Isolation and lack of support are common.  Dawn recognizes the anticipatory grief that happens before the death occurs, and describes the small incremental changes in her dad as “losing him long before his actual body was gone”.  That experience motivated Dawn to train in grief support, initially working with the ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) community.   

Dawn offers the following guidance for caregivers:  Care for yourself gently; don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to the person you care for most in the world.  Anticipatory grief is real.  It might feel like your Person is slipping away a little at a time.  Try to connect with someone who really gets what you’re going through. Give yourself grace in your grief, because caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your Person.   If you’re supporting someone who is a caregiver, be specific in offering to help.  By offering to do a specific task or help to a caregiver, you’re not adding to the decisions they have to make.  

Connect with Dawn Delahoye: Website:  sunrisecoaching.com Social media: LinkedIn

Hospice Navigation Services understands that you need unbiased, expert support to have the best end of life experience possible.  And we believe you deserve to get good hospice care. 

If you have questions about hospice care for yourself or someone you care about, Hospice Navigation Services can help.  It’s easy to connect by phone or video. You can book a 30-Minute Navigation Session for just $45 if you’re starting to talk about end of life care.  A 60-Minute Navigation Session for $95 provides for an in-depth discussion, and allows for up to 3 family members to get the same expert information at the same time.

Book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com. 

Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website:  theheartofhospice.com Social media:  Facebook   Instagram   LinkedIn   YouTube Email:  [email protected] More podcast episodes:  The Heart of Hospice Podcast

Podcast host Helen Bauer is a great addition to your event or conference! For speaking inquiries, send an email to [email protected].