Navigating the Dementia Journey: Understanding Family Grief and Caregiver Challenges

Dementia impacts every member of the family, regardless of age, and this session explores how the five stages of grief intersect with the prolonged experience of anticipatory grief. By introducing the Dementia Grief Model, the program aims to validate the feelings experienced by caregivers and family members. Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder affects about 20% of care partners, and understanding both the general grief process and the unique grief process specific to dementia is crucial for providing support.

This session will delve into the emotional and psychological experiences of family members caring for a loved one with dementia, discuss the difference between denial and anosognosia and offering insights into how these conditions affect caregiving and emotional wellbeing. Participants will gain valuable tools to support both the person with dementia and their family throughout the caregiving journey.