Becky Wellman, PhD

18 followers

Follow

Follow

Follow

0 saved

Find your team #dementiadisruptor #dementia

3/11 Edited to

Caring for someone with dementia can often feel overwhelming, especially when families try to handle everything alone. From personal experience, one critical lesson I've learned is the absolute necessity of assembling a dependable support team. This team could include trusted neighbors, friends, professional caregivers, or community resources that understand your situation and are ready to step in when needed. One of the most painful risks in dementia care is the chance of a fall or other emergency where the person is left unattended for extended periods. Without a backup plan, this can lead to dire consequences, including hospitalization or worse. I highly recommend proactively communicating your loved one’s condition to neighbors or nearby friends. This doesn’t mean exposing yourself to undue privacy concerns but rather creating a safety net where people know whom to check on if they notice unusual silence or missed routines. In addition to human support, technology can be a game-changer. Devices like medical alert systems, smart home assistants (e.g., Alexa), or wearable fall detectors can provide immediate assistance in emergencies. Initially, it may feel invasive or complicated but integrating simple tech solutions alongside your support team greatly enhances safety. Importantly, caregivers themselves must resist the urge to carry the entire burden alone. Pride can be a barrier, but swallowing that pride and asking for help is a vital step. Whether it’s sharing duties with family members or involving community services, having multiple involved parties reduces burnout and ensures better care. Having a clearly identified advocate—someone who can speak up when care needs exceed what is manageable—is also crucial. This might be a health professional or a family member who keeps track of medical appointments and notices when care plans should be adjusted. Lastly, I encourage anyone facing dementia care challenges to join local support groups. These communities not only provide emotional backing but also tips on finding resources and forming networks. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Finding and trusting your team is the foundation of providing compassionate, effective dementia care and safeguarding both the person with dementia and their caregivers.

Related posts

DementiaBuddyTM

There is a dementia crisis unfolding around us. More than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed every year. Behind every statistic is a person. Behind every diagnosis is a family trying to find its way through unfamiliar territory. The

1 like

Dementia and the ER

🚨 Dementia and the ER: What Every Carepartner Needs to Know If your loved one has dementia, you have the right to stay with them in the Emergency Room. You are not just a visitor. You are their advocate, historian, interpreter, and source of comfort in an unfamiliar and often frightening e

7 likes

Dementia and medications

#emergingcreator WHEN SWALLOWING MEDICATION BECOMES DIFFICULT Sometimes what looks like medication refusal in dementia is not refusal at all. Your loved one may put the pill in their mouth and simply hold it there. They may chew something they once swallowed easily. They may cough, beco

4 likes

Dementia and taste

#emergingcreator When Dementia Changes the Way Food Feels When someone living with dementia begins eating less, pushing away a favorite meal, or suddenly preferring only a few familiar foods, it is easy to call it “refusing to eat.” But what if the behavior makes sense to the brain experie

0 likes

Different dementias

🧠 Different Dementias Affect Different Parts of the Brain One of the greatest misconceptions about dementia is believing that all dementias are the same. They are not. Different dementias affect different regions of the brain, which means they create different symptoms, different behaviors

3 likes

Dementia care options

Understanding Dementia Care Options 🏡❤️ One of the most overwhelming parts of a dementia diagnosis is figuring out what kind of care your loved one needs. Should they stay at home? What is the difference between assisted living and memory care? When do palliative care or hospice become

1 like

Dementia vs Alzheimer’s

Dementia Is Larger Than Alzheimer’s—And That Changes Everything Many people use the words dementia and Alzheimer’s as if they mean the same thing. They do not. Dementia is not a single disease. It is an umbrella. A wide and complex landscape of conditions that affect memory, thinking, behavio

3 likes

Types of dementias

🧠 There is not just one type of dementia. Many people are surprised to learn that “dementia” is actually an umbrella term describing changes in memory, thinking, behavior, language, and daily functioning caused by different diseases affecting the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common,

3 likes

🧠 Mixed Dementia: When More Than One Brain Disease Is Present Many families are surprised to learn that dementia is not always caused by a single disease. In fact, mixed dementia is one of the most common forms of dementia, especially in older adults. Mixed dementia occurs when two or more di

63 likes

Unmet needs in dementia

Care partners, we want you to know something important: If dementia care feels hard, it’s because it is hard. You are not failing because your loved one repeats questions, becomes restless, asks to “go home,” follows you constantly, becomes angry, cries unexpectedly, or seems impossible to ca

3 likes

Every dementia is different 🌸

💜 Every Dementia Is Different 💜 If you walk into a room filled with people living with Alzheimer’s disease, you may see a shared diagnosis. What you will not see is the same person. One may have been a teacher. Another a farmer. Another a mother of six. Another a veteran. Anoth

1 like

Risk of dementia

Who Is Really at Risk for Dementia? It’s more than age. It’s a pattern. We often reduce dementia to one thing getting older But the brain tells a deeper story Dementia risk is not a single event It is the accumulation of how we live, how we connect, how we care for the body that carries

2 likes

ER and dementia

Sources and References • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation for Hospitals – Patient Rights (42 CFR §482.13), recognizing a patient’s right to designate a representative to participate in care and decision-making. • Americans with Disabilities Act (A

2 likes

Dementia community - join ours

When someone first learns windsurfing, they usually start standing in shallow water, trying to figure out how to hold the sail. The wind pulls one way, the board moves another, and nothing feels stable. It is awkward. You fall. You try again. Slowly you begin to understand the wind, the balance, th

1 like

Dementia doesn’t travel alone

🧠 Dementia Never Travels Alone One of the greatest misconceptions about dementia is that it is simply a memory problem. It isn’t. By the time many families receive a dementia diagnosis, they are often already navigating heart disease, diabetes, hearing loss, vision changes, chronic pain, d

8 likes

Activities and dementia

What if your loved one is not refusing activities? What if they are refusing frustration? One of the greatest mistakes we can make in dementia care is assuming that when a person stops participating, they have lost interest or lost the ability altogether. Often, the opposite is true. Th

2 likes

Tips for Caring for one struggling Dementia

Hello, My name is Jessica. I am a Certified Dementia Practioner. I currently oversee a Secured Memory Care Unit. Shoot me any questions you may have. #dementiaawareness #dementiacaregiver #dementiacare #Dementia

14 likes

Dementia and cursing

#emergingcreator Why Is My Loved One Suddenly Cursing? One of the most heartbreaking changes families experience is hearing a loved one with dementia begin using profanity or saying things that seem completely out of character. It can feel personal, embarrassing, and deeply painful. But in

0 likes

First signs of dementia

🧠✨ The Brain Often Whispers Before It Shouts One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and our loved ones is paying attention to the early signs of cognitive change. Many people assume memory problems are simply a normal part of aging, but sometimes the brain is quietly telling us that

1 like

An infographic explaining how dementia causes word loss, starting with nouns, then affecting reading/writing, and potentially leading to 'word salad.' It highlights that emotions and familiar phrases persist, advising caregivers to prioritize patience, listening, and connection over correction, focusing on the person, not just lost words.

Dementia and word loss

🧠 Why Does a Person with Dementia Forget Words? One of the most heartbreaking experiences for families is watching a loved one struggle to find simple words. Often, the first words to disappear are nouns. The names of people, places, and everyday objects become difficult to retrieve. A person

14 likes

Without you there is no them #dementiadisruptor

0 likes

Find the good in the chaos ##dementiadisruptor

1 like

Dementia and shadowing

#emergingcreator Why Mom Follows Me Everywhere One of the questions I hear most often from families is, “Why won’t my mom let me out of her sight?” She follows me from room to room. She waits outside the bathroom. If I leave for a few minutes, she becomes anxious or starts calling for me.

0 likes

An infographic titled 'Try Me First: A Philosophy of Care,' suggesting non-medicinal comfort and care strategies for various conditions like constipation, sleeplessness, irritation, and anxiety, emphasizing understanding before medication.

Try me first and dementia

Try Me First: A Philosophy of Care Before we rush to medicate, let us first ask: What is the body trying to tell us? For constipation, try warm prune juice or warm water with lemon. For sleeplessness, try warm milk, dim lights, and a quiet, familiar routine. For irritation, try lavender or

6 likes

Managing family expectations #dementiadisruptor

0 likes

Dementia and brain choices

📺📞 WHY DOES MY LOVED ONE TRY TO CALL SOMEONE WITH THE TV REMOTE? A caregiver recently asked me: “Why does my mom pick up the remote control and hold it to her ear like a phone?” The answer reveals something remarkable about the dementia brain. The person is not being stubborn. They a

0 likes

Go Team USA and again if necessary

#dementiadisruptor #Dementia #usa🇺🇸🇺🇸 #repeatasnecessary

0 likes

visual changes and fall prevention #dementiadisruptor

1 like

#emergingcreator Respite care is not simply “getting someone to stay with your loved one.” Done well, it creates a protected space where a care partner can temporarily step out of responsibility and trust that someone else is carrying it. That distinction matters. Too often, families arran

0 likes

Dementia prevention

Most people do not realize that the brain is profoundly metabolic. Dementia is not simply a “memory problem.” The brain is an organ that depends on sleep, oxygen, movement, blood flow, glucose regulation, inflammation control, circadian rhythm, nutrition, and human connection to function well.

10 likes

Dementia prevention

Dementia prevention does not begin when memory problems appear. It begins decades earlier, in the quiet patterns of everyday life. The brain is not static. It is living tissue that responds to how we sleep, move, eat, connect, think, manage stress, and care for our bodies over time. Every w

8 likes

7stages of dementia

#emergingcreator The 7 Stages of Dementia: A Journey, Not a Straight Line One of the greatest misconceptions about dementia is that it follows a perfectly predictable path. While understanding the seven stages can help families anticipate changes, it’s important to remember that every pers

188 likes

Appetite teeth and dementia

When Appetite Changes, Look Inside the Mouth One of the most overlooked causes of poor eating in dementia is pain. A person living with dementia may not be able to tell us that their dentures no longer fit. They may not be able to explain that a tooth hurts, their gums are sore, or food is ge

5 likes

Connection in dementia

💜 Connection Before Correction 💜 One of the most powerful shifts a care partner can make is learning to see behavior as communication. When a person living with dementia becomes angry, withdrawn, repetitive, fearful, or resistant, they are often expressing a need that words can no longer fully c

1 like

Let's get spicy #dementiadisruptor

0 likes

Dementia and behaviors

#emergingcreator There is one lesson I have learned after caring for thousands of families living with dementia: behavior is communication. When a person living with dementia refuses care, repeats the same question, accuses someone of stealing, or says, “I want to go home,” they are rarely

0 likes

DementiaBuddy™ Presented on the Global Stage at Unicorn Pitches Nicosia A New Standard for Compassionate AI in Dementia Care Nicosia, Cyprus, March 24, 2026 DementiaBuddy™ was presented today at Unicorn Pitches Nicosia, part of Unicorn Events’ global platform highlighting breakthrough innova

0 likes

Let's talk about utensils #dementiadisruptor

0 likes

Mom with #dementia needs help🫶

https://gofund.me/db5dc4b9d #dementia #donate #letschat #pleasehelpme #unfiltered @Justin Danger Nunley

2 likes

An infographic titled 'Hallucinations and Dementia' explains what hallucinations are, why they happen, and how to respond with compassion. It features a caregiver comforting an elderly person, with thought bubbles showing common visual hallucinations like seeing people or animals.

Hallucinations and dementia

“There is a man standing in the corner.” For a care partner, those words can be startling. For a person living with dementia, they may be completely real. Hallucinations occur when the brain creates a sensory experience without an external source. A person may see children playing in the r

3 likes

Delusions and dementia

One of the hardest things for caregivers to understand is this: A delusion in dementia is not “lying,” manipulation, or stubbornness. To the person living with dementia, the experience feels absolutely real. If they believe someone stole their purse, if they think strangers are in the house,

8 likes

Dementia and hiding of items

“I’m not hiding it. I’m protecting it.” The missing wallet. The missing keys. The missing remote. Many people with dementia hide important items in places that seem unusual to us. Why? As memory changes, the brain often tries to create a sense of safety and control. Putting someth

1 like

Taste and smell in dementia

👃🍋🧠 When Dementia Changes Taste and Smell One of the earliest and most overlooked changes in dementia is not memory loss. It is the quiet loss of smell and taste. A person who once loved coffee may suddenly find it bland. A favorite family recipe may no longer bring joy. Meals that once spark

96 likes

Dementia behaviors

The ABCs of Dementia Not every behavior is “just dementia.” Often, there is a reason beneath the reaction. “A-B-C” is a simple framework that can help care partners pause, observe, and respond with greater understanding instead of fear or frustration. A — Antecedent What happened before

3 likes

Dont argue with someone with dementia

You cannot argue someone into feeling safe. In dementia care, resistance is rarely about stubbornness. More often, it is the brain’s response to fear, confusion, sensory overload, or a loss of control. A shower may feel loud. Cold. Unfamiliar. Even threatening. So instead of fighting th

2 likes

You are their journey

#emergingcreator You are not just their care partner. You are part of their journey. Dementia changes the landscape. Familiar places can suddenly feel unfamiliar. Yesterday can feel like today. A person may search for a home that exists in another decade, ask for someone who has been gone

1 like

Dementia is not just forgetting. It is a transformation of how the brain interprets the world. Language begins to fragment. Time loses its sequence. Spaces feel unfamiliar. Emotions rise without clear cause. What looks like confusion is often the brain struggling to make sense of reality i

0 likes

PWD carries a lot

#emergingcreator You only see the person. You may not see everything their brain is carrying. A person living with dementia may be trying to move through confusion, noise, vision changes, fear, fatigue, memory loss, anxiety, pain, and needs they can no longer explain clearly. What looks li

3 likes

Free seminar on dementia care 🌸

A Person-Centered Approach to Dementia Care Dementia care is not simply about managing symptoms. It is about understanding the human being who is still fully present. This gathering brings together leading voices in dementia care to explore how we can support individuals living with dementia

0 likes

CARE and dementia 🍋

❤️ CARE Because at the end of the day, that’s exactly what we’re trying to do. C = Connect Before You Correct Before offering instructions, corrections, or reminders, connect emotionally. A smile. A touch. Eye contact. A calm voice. Connection opens doors that correction oft

1 like

Counting and dementia

Have you ever noticed your loved one with dementia counting things? Counting money. Counting tissues. Counting pieces of paper. Counting steps. Counting objects on a table. Many care partners ask: “Why does she keep counting the same things over and over?” The answer may sur

5 likes

Dementia and the sun

☀️ Never forget the sun. Follow it. Open the curtains. Step outside. Greet the morning together with your loved one living with dementia. This is not only about vitamin D. This is about the brain. Morning sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythm — the body’s internal clock that contr

1 like

💜 Understanding Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) 💜 Most people think dementia begins with memory loss. But for some individuals, the first signs are not memory problems at all. Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) is a rare form of dementia that affects the part of the brain responsible for pr

0 likes

Mixed dementia means more than one brain disease is happening at the same time. Most often, it is a combination of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, but it can also include Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease dementia, or other brain changes. Mixed Dementia: When More Than One Demen

1 like

An infographic titled 'Safe Eating. Better Nutrition. More Comfort. More Connection.' provides guidance for caregivers on managing eating difficulties in individuals with dementia, aphasia, and dysphagia. It lists common challenges, mealtime strategies, safest food guidelines, finger food examples, and easy texture ideas, emphasizing patience and connection.

🧠🥣 Aphasia, Dysphagia, and Dementia Care: When Eating Becomes More Than Eating One of the most heartbreaking and challenging transitions for care partners is when communication and swallowing begin to change at the same time. Aphasia may make it difficult for a person to express what they want,

2 likes

Dementia sufferer, get in the KNOW 🙏

Dementia sufferer with less than 6 months to live 😞 t'is a dreadful DREADful illness, would not wish this on my worst enemy 😿

5 likes

Free dementia seminar

Families facing dementia often feel overwhelmed after a diagnosis. Questions come quickly. What happens next? What should we expect? How do we plan wisely while still preserving dignity, hope, and quality of life? Join us for a FREE Zoom seminar: “After a Dementia Diagnosis: What Families Need

0 likes

For years, we believed the brain could only change in childhood. That learning, adaptation, and growth had an expiration date. But the brain tells a different story. Even in dementia, the brain is not “empty.” It is reorganizing. It is compensating. It is searching for connection in new w

0 likes

See more