Spouses/Partners
When your spouse or partner receives the diagnosis of a young onset dementia, there is a transformation into the role of a caregiver where spouses and partners face complete uncertainty in their radically altered relationship. Taking on the responsibilities of managing your household, managing all the decisions regarding your family and home, and providing constant supervision while helping your spouse or partner with even the smallest task becomes the dreaded ‘New Normal’.
With few exceptions, this issue appears to remain socially overlooked. Few support services are available to family caregivers tailored to the unique trajectory of the diagnosis of a young onset dementia. Some of these issues include: the long quest for diagnosis; difficulty managing behavioral changes; financial challenges; disclosing the diagnosis to others; anticipatory grief for the loss of a spouse or partner and all midlife expectations; difficulty juggling overwhelming life responsibilities; and challenges in knowing how to plan for the future.
These are some of the common issues that are addressed in YES! Men’s and Women’s (PALS, Pretty Awesome Ladies) separate support groups. This is a safe place to talk freely about the impact of your unique challenges while receiving feedback and encouragement from others who are experiencing a similar caregiving journey.