Mental Health Considerations For Dementia Caregivers
If you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another condition that causes dementia, your own health might not always be at the top of your mind. However, managing medications, doctors’ appointments, and daily routines and coping with symptoms like mood swings, wandering, and even delusions in the individual you’re caring for can take a toll on your own mental and physical health. Below, we’ll explore current research on caregiver well-being as well as practical tips for looking after yourself emotionally as you care for someone with dementia.
What is dementia? A brief overview
Dementia is a set of progressive symptoms that can affect an individual’s memory, communication skills, and ability to function in daily life. It can be caused by several different types of diseases, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s. According to the National Institute on Aging, more than six million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease. Examples of some other causes of dementia include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia.
The exact symptoms involved with dementia can vary somewhat depending on a variety of factors, such as the underlying cause and the stage of the illness, but they typically include things like:
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Mood changes, potentially including symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Personality changes
- Inappropriate behavior
- Wandering away
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble communicating
- Challenges with balance and movement
- Poor judgment and decision-making
As a result, people with dementia may struggle to express themselves, control their emotions, move around, and complete daily tasks. With time, they will usually need full-time help getting dressed, eating, and going to the bathroom, so a caregiver will typically need to step in.
Mental and physical illness among dementia caregivers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 80% of people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia are receiving at-home care—usually from friends or family members. Of these informal caregivers, around 25% are caring for both a parent or relative with dementia and a child or children under the age of 18. Informal dementia caregiving can be stressful, especially for those who are juggling multiple responsibilities.
While someone with early-stage dementia might not need 24-hour care, they are likely to eventually as the disease progresses. Some examples of everyday care for dementia patients can include:
- Planning and preparing meals
- Assisting with bathing and hygiene
- Managing medical appointments
- Arranging transportation
- Assisting with dressing and eating
- Managing medications
- Monitoring blood pressure and weight
- Planning and participating in activities
- Assisting with exercise and physical activity
- Managing behavioral challenges
Handling all of these responsibilities daily can be time-consuming and challenging. They may also affect a caregiver’s other relationships, work-life balance, and ability to practice self-care. This—in addition to higher levels of stress, which can have negative effects on mental and physical health too—can put a person at higher risk of chronic illness and mental health challenges.
- 36.7% of caregivers reported getting insufficient sleep
- 40.7% of caregivers reported having two or more chronic health conditions (such as heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, and diabetes)
- 17.6% of caregivers reported experiencing mostly physically unhealthy days in the previous month
The CDC also reports that over half of dementia caregivers experience high levels of emotional stress, while almost half experience symptoms of depression.
Tips for taking care of yourself as a caregiver
Whether you’ve been a dementia caregiver for a while or you’re considering becoming one, maintaining your well-being may help make caregiving healthier and more sustainable—for both you and the person you’re taking care of. If you’re not sure where to start, you might consider the following strategies.
Build healthy habits
Building healthy habits may help increase your stress resilience, boost your mood, and improve your overall health and well-being. Eating nutritious foods as much as possible, limiting alcohol and processed foods, getting enough sleep, and practicing relaxation exercises can help as well.
It can seem difficult to build healthy habits when you’re a busy full-time caregiver, so starting small with habits like these may help you get started:
- Going for a ten-minute walk each day
- Building short bursts of movement into your day (such as five minutes of push-ups or jumping jacks)
- Drinking one more glass of water each day than you normally would
- Following along with a brief meditation track or video before bed
- Reducing your intake of soft drinks and alcohol
- Increasing your intake of foods rich in omega-3s
- Reducing your intake of fried foods and refined sugars
Note that healthy eating patterns can look different from one person to the next depending on individual needs. Consult your doctor or nutritionist before making significant changes to your eating habits.
Seek social support
In 2015, researchers reviewed data from five studies on peer support groups for dementia caregivers. Their findings suggest that having social support can provide a helpful outlet for managing the emotions and daily challenges of caregiving. Meetups and caregiver groups can also be a place to share dementia tips and coping skills. Some other resources for support to consider exploring include:
- Online communities and forums for dementia caregivers
- Respite services and other local resources that can give you a break from caregiving
- Mental health education programs
- Friends or family who can bring you meals or assist with caregiving from time to time
- Caregiver helplines
- Home help services to assist with daily caregiving tasks
- Geriatric care managers to provide guidance and support
Find healthy coping strategies that work for you
Choosing unhealthy coping strategies—such as substance use, stress-eating, self-isolation, or overworking—may feel helpful in the moment but are likely to cause additional problems down the line. Finding healthier and more constructive outlets for stress may help you preserve or improve your overall health and your caregiving abilities. Some ideas include:
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
- Taking a warm bath
- Going for a jog or a walk
- Practicing box breathing or other deep breathing exercises
- Practicing mindfulness techniques or meditation
- Talking to a friend or loved one
- Spending some time outdoors
- Spending even a few minutes working on a project or hobby you enjoy
Get professional support
The strategies listed here may be a good starting point for supporting your well-being as a caregiver. However, if you’re caring for someone with dementia, you might also benefit from professional support. Working with a therapist may help you manage stress and difficult emotions and develop positive coping strategies.
Attending in-person therapy consistently can be challenging though, especially for those who are balancing caregiving with a formal job and/or other responsibilities. That’s why many caregivers find it more convenient to attend online therapy sessions instead of regularly commuting to and from a therapist’s office. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed provider and meet with them from anywhere you have an internet connection.
Research suggests that online therapy may benefit caregivers of people with dementia. In a 2023 study, 81 family caregivers were assigned to a control group or a guided online psychoeducational program. Those in the online treatment group saw significant decreases in anxiety and depression.
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