“Family counselling was a game changer”
Dementia doesn’t just impact the person who is diagnosed, it can reshape the lives of family and friends too, often in ways they never expected.
Georgina, who began caring for her mum Dorothea following her dementia diagnosis, didn’t anticipate how isolated she would feel.
“When I moved in with my parents to care for Mum, it really felt that because I was there, family and friends would assume that I could do everything on my own,” Georgina said.
“Caring still needs to be a shared responsibility, not one person’s burden.
“I would never consider my Mum a burden but it becomes much harder when you need more support around you.”
Georgina encourages other carers to reach out for support whether that’s taking a short break from caring, organising respite care or scheduling a regular phone call.
“I spoke with a Dementia Australia counsellor to debrief a few times,” she said.
Dementia Australia offers free, confidential, professional counselling for all stages of dementia.
For more information visit the counselling page on our website or contact the National Dementia Helpline.
“Family counselling has been a game changer”
Jonathan was diagnosed with younger onset frontotemporal dementia at 55 after noticing changes in his focus and ability to complete tasks at work.
“The things that I used to understand, I had trouble understanding,” he said.
Jonathan, his wife Sophie and their three daughters – aged between 17 and 20 at the time – had open and frank discussions about managing the changes.
“They’ve been with me every step of the way,” Jonathan said.
If you or someone you care for lives with dementia, it’s normal to experience a range of emotions.
It can be helpful to talk about these reactions, as well as living arrangements, dementia symptoms and future plans.
“The family counselling at Dementia Australia has been a game changer,” Sophie said.
“It’s helped us learn strategies for the whole family.”
Learn more about family engagement counselling for younger onset dementia or contact the National Dementia Helpline.
Other support available
Dementia Australia offers practical and emotional assistance to families, carers and friends at every stage, from pre-diagnosis onwards.
For information, support or just someone to talk to, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit dementia.org.au/helpline.
Younger onset dementia support
If you get a diagnosis of any kind of dementia when you’re younger than 65, it’s called younger onset dementia.
The Younger Onset Dementia Guide is the go-to resource for people living with younger onset dementia, their carers and family.
You can download the guide or order a free printed copy here.
