This is the third installment in the Critical Dementia Skills (CDS) series. For more information on the series, start HERE. You can also click on the CDS tags in the blog for more.
Dementia is a large and complex challenge, so you need a large and comprehensive team to support you and your family. This article is an introduction to the core team members we recommend that you recruit for your large team. Later articles will offer in-depth information on each role. Just as each person is unique, so is every family impacted with dementia; apply our advice to best suit your situation.
Core Team of Professionals:
- Priest or Spiritual Director
- This is the Peace with Dementia Rosary; of course, this is the first core team member we will mention! It is an understatement to say that the eternal destination of your soul is important. Why would you not want to feel more peaceful and in a state of grace right now and later? There is no reason that this will be at the expense of your medical care. Your priest can also offer Anointing of the Sick for dementia (or any illness) and your parish or diocese may offer a dementia support group. Contact your parish today.
- Designated health care agent
- This is not exactly a “professional,” but this is a legal/official role for the person who you have designated to make healthcare decisions if you cannot express them for yourself. In many states, this defaults family members in a certain order (spouse, parent, etc), but it is worth confirming so that the right person speaks for you. It is equally important to ensure that a) this person knows and agrees to be your agent and b) understands your wishes.
- Primary Care Physician
- This is the medical quarterback of the team. He or she will manage your conditions and refer you to specialists if needed. The country needs more primary care physicians, specifically geriatricians, who are the point persons for your overall care, looking at all of the lab results, medications, and the overall system of your body. This doctor’s nurse is an important partner as well.
- Neuropsychologist
- This professional has a PhD or PsyD and specializes in evaluating the performance of your brain and how it influences behavior. His or her sub-team offers cognitive testing, interpretation, and probable diagnosis of dementia type. They can recommend strategies for creating the ideal scenario when the person living with dementia and family have challenges with communication, stress, behavioral expressions, bathing, and more.
- Social Worker
- A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) is there to help the family further strategize what can be done to care for the person and the family. LCSWs can inform families of resources and provide referrals help such as supplemental insurance, support groups, education, and community organizations such as meals on wheels or Alzheimer’s-specific organizations.
- Attorney
- An attorney is a valuable team member who should assist with topics of property, will, trusts, decision making, and more. Some attorneys specialize in family law which can include elder law. Their experience in helping other families in a similar situation can potentially help you avoid pitfalls.
- Financial expert
- A future of life with dementia can become expensive when you consider the spectrum of services that may be needed from in-home care sitters, home health, and outside care facilities. While insurance can pay for a certain small amount of services, many of them are paid out-of-pocket. An expert can assist you in reviewing your assets, savings, and insurance to prepare for multiple scenarios.
Perhaps someone in the family is a doctor, lawyer, or other professional. It is helpful to have these roles within the family, but sometimes it is more advantageous to include their advice while also seeking a professional outside of the family for an objective viewpoint. Later articles will include many more professionals and remember this is the core team; the team will get larger when you consider in-home care, outside facilities, and other health conditions.
Questions for you to think, write down, and share in the comments section (any or all):
- Who do you need to add to your current team?
- Who do you feel is missing from this “core” team?
- Who do you think should be on your “extended” team based on your situation?
Thank you for reading this far and for commenting. Let’s tell hundreds more care partners about this concept by sharing the article. God bless you.
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