THERAPY FOR THOSE WITH ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA & THEIR FAMILIES

Serving Kitchener-Waterloo, Milton, Oakville, London, and the surrounding areas, Anchoridge Counselling wants to help you in living with dementia, or supporting your loved ones living with dementia.

If you've been diagnosed with early stage dementia, the diagnosis may be quite upsetting and there is much to think about and to plan.

Counselling can be very help for those with early stage dementia to:

understand and acknowledge the illness
work through the emotions surrounding the diagnosis and what it means for their future
help you better manage daily symptoms and challenges by learning adaptations

As a caregiver for a loved one with dementia, it can be incredibly hard and painful to watch your loved one slip away.

The demands of caregiving can take a toll on your own physical and mental wellbeing, but the emotional toll of having your loved one not remember happy memories, or even recognize family members, as well as emotional or angry outbursts, can be challenging to deal with.

It's important to remember your loved one as they once were, and to try to hold compassion for the confusion and disorientation they're likely experiencing.

It's also important to ask for help while navigating your loved ones illness, both to find ways to connect with them, but also for your own wellbeing as well.

Counselling can help by not only processing your emotions but also figuring out what type of adjustments need to be made in routines at home, as well as decision making for your loved one, in terms of assisted living, medications, treatments and end of life care.

As your loved ones illness progresses, communication can become more difficult, however, music, because it uses different parts of the brain than language, can be an effective way to support your loved ones mood and even jog happy memories.

Getting the support you need - community resources

At Anchoridge we understand how hard it is to slowly lose your loved one to dementia, and we are here to support you in navigating the caregiving process including communication, helping your loved one transition to assisted living facilities and keeping memories alive.

There are also many community support groups for people dealing with a loved ones dementia.

General:

Alzheimer's Society of Canada

Kitchener & Waterloo Region:

Region of Waterloo day and lunch club programs

Oakville & GTA:

Memory & Company: day program, respite hotel and more

Patty's Place: support groups, day programs, respite care and education

London:

Alzheimer's Society of Southwest Ontario: variety of in person and virtual support groups