# Dementia Carers Count > Are you caring for someone with dementia? Get advice, information and support for dementia carers from the experts Generated by Yoast SEO v28.3, this is an llms.txt file, meant for consumption by LLMs. ## Pages - [How can counselling help if you’re a dementia carer? ](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/what-we-do/dementia-carer-support-services/carer-support-line/how-can-counselling-help-if-youre-a-dementia-carer/): Counselling can help carers cope with complicated feelings, processing a dementia diagnosis and experiencing unexpected changes to relationships\.  - [Managing daily activities](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/): Dementia can impact on people's senses and mobility\. Someone with dementia may need support to manage daily tasks and activities\. - [Continuing to drive](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/continuing-to-drive/): Dementia and cognitive problems are conditions which must be reported to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency \(DVLA\) if they are diagnosed\. - [Feeling overwhelmed or unsafe?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/feeling-overwhelmed-or-unsafe/): When you’re caring for someone with dementia, there are many reasons why you might feel overwhelmed and why you might be struggling to cope\.  - [Continence care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/continence-care/): Continence care can be a taboo subject but many people living with dementia can experience bladder and or bowel incontinence\. - [Providing continence care can affect your wellbeing and relationships](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/continence-care/providing-continence-care-can-affect-your-wellbeing-and-relationships/): The move from supporting with personal care to providing intimate care can affect your wellbeing and have emotional and psychological impact on your relationship with the person you care for\. - [Different types of incontinence and possible causes](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/continence-care/different-types-of-incontinence-and-possible-causes/): There are different types of continence problems affecting either the bladder or the bowel\. There are many reasons why someone with dementia may find it hard to maintain continence\. - [Claiming Attendance Allowance](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/claiming-attendance-allowance/): Attendance Allowance is a disability benefit which the person you are caring for may be entitled to if they need support to complete daily activities or supervision to stay safe at home\. - [What is a Carer's Assessment?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/having-a-carers-assessment/): If you are caring for someone with dementia, you are entitled to an assessment of your own needs for support\. Your health and wellbeing matters too\. - [Claiming Pension Credit](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/claiming-pension-credit/): Pension Credit is a means\-tested benefit for people of state pension age\. It is a top up benefit for people on low incomes\. It can be a 'passport' to other benefits\. - [Benefits if you stop working to care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/benefits-if-you-stop-working-to-care/): If you stop working to care, you may be eligible to claim benefits\. - [Claiming Personal Independence Payment](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/claiming-personal-independence-payment/): Personal Independence Payment \(PIP\) is a benefit for people of working age who need help with taking part in everyday life because of an illness or disability\. - [Reducing your council tax bill](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/reducing-your-council-tax-bill/): There are ways in which a council tax bill might be reduced, but first it's worth checking whether the property should be liable for any council tax at all\. - [What financial support can carers access?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/what-financial-support-can-carers-access/): Getting the right financial support is vital for carers\. Very often the person affected by dementia will need to pay for additional care and support\. For the carer, the additional caring responsibilities can mean having to reduce working hours or potentially stopping work altogether\.  - [Emotions and behaviour](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/): Understanding how emotions and behaviour are connected can help us to support someone with dementia and reduce stress\. - [Thinking and planning](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/thinking-and-planning/): People with dementia can experience changes to their day\-to\-day ability to think and plan clearly\. This can lead to frustration and anxiety\. Understanding why this is happening and how you can help support someone, will help you to cope\. - [Ways to support communication](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/ways-to-support-communication/): Dementia can affect a person's ability to communicate but there are ways to support communication to make connecting easier\. - [How technology can help dementia carers](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/how-technology-can-help-dementia-carers/): Could technology like voice assistants help you with the everyday challenges of caring for someone with dementia? - [What if there is no lasting power of attorney in place?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/making-decisions/what-if-there-is-no-lasting-power-of-attorney-in-place/): If someone loses their mental capacity, and there is no lasting powers of attorney in place, it is possible to apply to the Court of Protection to be appointed as either a property and financial affairs deputy or a personal welfare deputy\. - [Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/making-decisions/property-and-financial-affairs-lasting-power-of-attorney/): If you have property and financial lasting power of attorney for someone, you have responsibility for making decisions relating to their finances on their behalf\. - [Health and welfare lasting power of attorney](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/making-decisions/health-and-welfare-lasting-power-of-attorney/): If you have health and welfare lasting power of attorney for someone, you have responsibility for making decisions relating to their health and welfare on their behalf\. - [Mental capacity and best interests](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/making-decisions/mental-capacity/): If someone has a dementia diagnosis, this does not necessarily mean that they cannot continue to make their own decisions\. - [Making decisions](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/making-decisions/): It's important to understand when you, or someone else who has lasting power of attorney, is able to make decisions on behalf of the person you care for\. - [Carers' rights at work](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/know-your-rights/carers-rights-at-work/): A carer who is supported to combine working and caring may be better able to maintain their own wellbeing\. - [Feeling guilty](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/coping-with-your-emotions/feeling-guilty/): Feeling guilty can have a big impact on your well\-being and it's important to practice being kinder to yourself\. - [Coping with your emotions](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/coping-with-your-emotions/): Carers are likely to experience a wide range of strong emotions\. Every carer's experience is unique and its OK to feel differently to other carers\. - [Mindfulness](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/managing-stress/mindfulness/): Mindfulness helps us notice when our thoughts and feelings are taking over\. There are techniques we can practice to help us gain more control over our emotions and to feel less stressed\. - [How to build resilience](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/managing-stress/how-to-build-resilience/): We can all build our resilience to help us cope better with challenges - [Stress and distress](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/stress-and-distress/): As a person's dementia increases, there are many factors that might increase the likelihood of them experiencing stress and showing distress\. Understanding and tackling the causes of stress can help carers cope\. - [Breathing techniques](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/managing-stress/breathing-techniques/): Breathing techniques can help you develop resilience and cope if you are feeling stressed - [Managing stress](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/managing-stress/): Understanding more about stress and how to calm down when you're feeling stressed can make a big difference to your ability to cope\. - [Eating a balanced diet](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/staying-healthy/eating-a-balanced-diet/): The food we eat has an enormous effect on our physical and mental health\. When you're caring, it can be hard to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet\. If you're able to look after your health and diet, you'll have more energy to cope with challenges\. - [Social and emotional connections](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/staying-healthy/social-and-emotional-connections/): Social and emotional connections can have a range of benefits for our mental and physical health\. - [Getting a good night's sleep](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/staying-healthy/getting-a-good-nights-sleep/): Getting a good night’s sleep is good for all of us, but especially for family carers of people with dementia\. Good sleeping patterns are essential for our physical and mental wellbeing\. - [Staying healthy](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/staying-healthy/): Carers can neglect their own health and experience high levels of stress\. Looking after your physical and your mental health is important and the two are linked\. - [How dementia affects memory](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/how-dementia-affects-memory/): Dementia often affects memory\. There are things you can do to support the person you care for if they are experiencing memory problems\. - [The brain explained](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/understanding-dementia/the-brain-explained/): Dementia causes damage to the brain and is not an inevitable part of ageing\. Understanding how our brains work can help you understand more about the impacts of different types of dementia\. - [Different types of dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/understanding-dementia/different-types-of-dementia/): There are many different types of dementia\. Each can cause different symptoms and behaviours\. - [Mild cognitive impairment](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/understanding-dementia/mild-cognitive-impairment/): Mild cognitive impairment affects cognition and people who experience it may have difficulties with memory or thinking\. - [Delirium or sudden confusion](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/understanding-dementia/delirium/): Delirium is sudden, acute or intense confusion and it can affect anyone when they are very unwell, but is much more likely in a person with dementia\. It is treatable and reversible\. - [Understanding dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/understanding-dementia/): There are more than 100 types of dementia\. The condition affects memory, emotions, communication, behaviour, vision and motor skills, and worsens over time\. - [Getting a dementia diagnosis](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/understand-dementia/getting-a-dementia-diagnosis/): If you are worried about someone's memory, it's important to make an appointment with your GP as a first step to getting a dementia diagnosis\. - [Changing the future of dementia care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/changing-the-future-of-dementia-care/): Dementia carers know what support they need\. Help us change the future of dementia care\.​ - [Time to think about a care home?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/time-to-think-about-a-care-home/): One of the most difficult life events, is when someone with dementia needs to move into a care home\. - [What are the alternatives to care homes?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/time-to-think-about-a-care-home/what-are-the-alternatives-to-care-homes/): There are alternatives to care homes, including home care services which can help support someone to stay living in their own home and extra care housing options\. - [How to make the most of a care home visit](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/time-to-think-about-a-care-home/how-to-make-the-most-of-a-care-home-visit/): Visiting the person you care for when they are living in a care home can be an emotionally challenging experience\. Building a positive relationship with care staff and planning ways to keep visits calm and happy will make visiting easier\. - [Paying for care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/time-to-think-about-a-care-home/paying-for-care/): If you're caring for someone, it's important to understand what financial support may be available to pay for care costs\. All local authorities have a duty to provide information about care options, resources and paying for care\. - [How to choose a care home](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/looking-after-yourself/time-to-think-about-a-care-home/how-to-choose-a-care-home/): It can feel daunting to find a care home that will suit the person you are caring for and that will also meet your needs as a carer\. - [Sundowning](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/sundowning/): Sundowning is also known as early evening agitation\. It isn't fully understood but it can be challenging for carers to manage\. - [How to help with thinking and planning](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/thinking-and-planning/help-with-thinking-and-planning/): Dementia can affect thinking and planning skills\. This might mean that a person struggles with everyday tasks\. Some simple strategies can make a difference - [Eating and drinking](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/eating-and-drinking/): Dementia can affect people's relationship with food which can impact food preparation, eating and drinking\. - [Managing difficult social situations](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/managing-difficult-social-situations/): The behavioural changes associated with dementia can sometimes result in difficult social situations\. - [Should I correct someone with dementia?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/thinking-and-planning/should-i-correct-someone-with-dementia/): It can be hard deciding if you should correct a person with dementia\. Your instinct can be to correct someone, but this can lead to confusion and distress\. - [What can change with dementia?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/thinking-and-planning/what-can-change-with-dementia/): If you're taking care of someone with dementia, you may notice changes in their behaviour and how they react to things\. - [Meaningful activity](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/meaningful-activity/): Meaningful activity is important to help us all maintain a good quality of life, whether we are living with dementia or not\. - [Visual changes and dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/visual-changes-and-dementia/): A person with dementia can experience visual changes\. There are things you can do to make their environment easier to manage - [What if\.\.\.I'm not there to care?](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigning/what-if-im-not-there-to-care/): Our 2024 survey findings reveal that most dementia carers have no arrangements in place for when they aren't there to care\. ​ - [Helping with personal care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/managing-daily-activities/helping-with-personal-care/): When helping someone with personal care tasks, like washing and dressing, it's important to make the experience as comfortable as possible\. - [Using visual aids to support communication](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/ways-to-support-communication/using-visual-aids/): People living with dementia often process visual stories and information better than verbal communication\. Storyboards can be a useful visual aid\. - [Depression and dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/help-and-information/everyday-challenges/emotions-and-behaviour/depression-and-dementia/): Depression is frequently experienced by people with dementia and it is important to seek medical advice as treatment is available\. ## Posts - [Getting involved with Dementia Carers Count: your views, your experience, your way](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/getting-involved-with-dementia-carers-count-your-views-your-experience-your-way/) - [Caring for someone with dementia: looking after your mental health too](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/caring-for-someone-with-dementia-looking-after-your-mental-health-too/) - [Take part in the Big Conversation on Care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/take-part-in-the-big-conversation-on-care/): Today marks the launch of The Big Conversation on Care\. Have your say on the future of care and support\. - [Finding the words: creativity, writing and experiences of dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/finding-the-words-creativity-writing-and-experiences-of-dementia/): Creative outlets can give us space to process difficult experiences, express what can be hard to say and capture the moments that matter\. - [Every dementia carer deserves to be heard](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/every-dementia-carer-deserves-to-be-heard/): Support our crowdfunder to provide 245 hours of invaluable counselling for dementia carers who need support now\. ## Categories - [News](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/category/news/) - [Carer Experiences](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/category/carers-experience/) - [Blog](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/category/blog/) ## Tags - [support](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/tag/support/) - [social care](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/tag/social-care/) - [dementia carers](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/tag/dementia-carers/) - [campaign](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/tag/campaign/) - [research](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/news/tag/research/) ## Optional - [Sitemap index](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/sitemap_index.xml)