This essential guide to caring for a loved one with dementia offers experienced advice on communication, self-care and finding the support you need.

When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, it can be difficult to know what to do. Your day can spiral into a never-ending series of tasks and attempts to communicate that leave you both frustrated. In Caregiving Both Ways, Molly Wisniewski offers essential advice for avoiding burnout and acclimating yourself to this new phase of life. Molly demonstrates how to navigate difficult moments with techniques she’s mastered from years of experience working with dementia sufferers.

When your loved one behaves differently than they used to, they’re just communicating in a new way. As a caregiver, the most important thing you can do is learn that new language. Balancing your own priorities in this time can be a challenge, but honoring self-care is essential when caring for others. Molly covers all this, plus how to build a strong support system with help from professional caregivers and how to prepare for end-of-life care.

In Caregiving Both Ways, you’ll find worksheets, exercises, and essential tips for smart, empathetic caregiving. You'll learn how to:

• Use non-medical interventions to reduce anxiety


• Prioritize and make time for your own care and mental health


• Identify triggers that may cause confusion in your loved one


• Handle difficult medical decisions


• Provide support and validation through all stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia