While the effects of dementia can be difficult and frightening for the patient, it can also be very challenging for family members who aren’t sure where to turn for dementia support. Watching a loved one begin to struggle with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating is hard. Family members may also find it difficult to interact in meaningful ways with their loved one as his or her memory and other skills decline.
Hope Hospice is here to help anyone in our community who needs it, even if the patient is not on our hospice service. Our Living With Dementia program educates family caregivers and medical professionals about dementia and its varied symptoms, and how to provide the best care to persons living with the condition.
Most family members who care for a loved one living with dementia find themselves unexpectedly in that role. It is quite common to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and unsure about how to handle your loved one’s changing needs. Hope’s Living With Dementia program can help.
Do you care for a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease or a related dementia? Hope Hospice is here to support you by facilitating a conversation group for those who care for a family member living with dementia.
In addition to meeting others with a shared experience, you will learn more about how dementia affects the brain and body and some ways that you can adjust your care tactics to improve the quality of life for your loved one. Hope’s dementia specialists facilitate support groups by guiding conversation about our shared experiences in caring for a loved one living with dementia, as well as providing dementia related education.
Groups meet once per month. We have both virtual and in person meetings available. Hope’s support groups are open to the public in our service area; it’s not required to have a family member on our hospice service. There is no cost to participate, but advance reservations are required. Please email your request or call Gia Barsell at (925) 829-8770 on weekdays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Hope Hospice offers the Family Caregiver Respite Program to help local low- and middle-income families care for a loved one living with dementia. This program provides award recipients with 16 hours of complimentary in-home care from a participating agency. It’s not required that the patient be on our hospice service.
Click here to learn more.
Oftentimes, the family physician is the person who delivers the unfortunate diagnosis of dementia. Your patient and their loved ones look to you to help them process the news and to know what to do next. But general practice doctors may not have the expertise or resources that families need at this vulnerable time. Hope Hospice is here to help. You may refer your patient to our Living With Dementia program to help them navigate this journey. Our classes and support groups are free to the local public, even if their loved on is not on our hospice service.
Hope also offers in-service training to facility staff who regularly engage with patients living with dementia.
May 9, 2024
“Advocating for Your Loved One”
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Understanding your rights as a family caregiver and communicating effectively with healthcare professionals are essential in advocating for loved ones and yourself in a complex healthcare system. Webinar topics will include tips for handling hospitalizations, understanding the discharge process, and planning for follow-up care. Medicare rights and responsibilities will be emphasized.
March 14, 2024
“Making Decisions About Care Settings — Home vs. Facility”
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Levels of care chart
Assisted living evaluation checklist
Community touring checklist
Handling sensitive topics and making difficult decisions about providing care for a loved one, especially when emotions are high, is never easy. Christine Sevier, Senior Living Advisor and CEO of Creating New Hope, will present information about assessing needs, accessing community services and resources, relocating loved ones, and exploring various care settings including in-home and residential care. All webinars are offered at no cost to community members.
February 8, 2024
“Can Dementia Be Prevented? Risk Reduction Strategies.”
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While there is no guaranteed way to prevent any of the underlying causes of dementia, there are steps one can take, at any age, to potentially reduce the risk or delay its onset. From this webinar, attendees will gain an understanding of the role that genetics play in developing dementia and learn about the lifestyle choices that may have a positive impact on brain health.
January 11, 2024
“Teepa Snow’s Dementia GEMs Model”
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Leading dementia-care expert Teepa Snow has developed a unique framework to help care partners identify and understand the stages of dementia based on a person’s cognitive abilities and functions. In this webinar, Hope’s dementia specialists will provide an overview of this helpful model, which uses a variety of colorful gemstones as a metaphor for different stages of dementia. Participants will learn how each gem stage has both strengths and limitations, and how to adjust care tactics to meet changing needs.
December 14, 2023
“Dementia: Understanding Behaviors as Communication”
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Assessing behaviors
As the conditions that cause dementia progress, communication becomes challenged and persons living with dementia increasingly rely on their behaviors to express their needs. In this webinar, family caregivers will gain an understanding of how to assess, interpret, and respond to dementia-related behaviors in a manner that can improve communication and promote meaningful connections.
October 12, 2023
“End-of-Life Legal and Financial Issues”
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When facing the incapacity of a loved one, reliance on professionals will ensure that families receive the most accurate information about options and protection. An elder law attorney will share information about establishing powers of attorney, trusts and wills, paying for long-term care and accessing government assistance programs.
September 14, 2023
“Dementia Basics”
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GEMS Model
Stages of Dementia for Care Partners
Since dementia dramatically changes the ways that individuals think, perceive, communicate and behave, caring for a loved one with dementia presents a unique set of challenges. Hope Hospice’s dementia specialists will discuss the nature and progression of dementia and the various diseases and conditions that can produce its symptoms. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the ways in which dementia can impact the brain and behavior.
August 10, 2023
“Normal Signs of Aging Versus Dementia Symptoms”
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Have you ever worried whether some of the memory challenges you or a loved one are experiencing are “normal?” Could they be a sign of something else? As we age, our brains and our bodies undergo changes. We may experience instances where we process information more slowly, or we may have trouble recalling names or dates; these can be examples of typical age-related changes. But what are the indicators that these changes may be due to something more serious such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia? When might it be time to visit the doctor for an evaluation? Hope Hospice’s dementia specialists will discuss these questions and more.
July 13, 2023
“Handling Grief and Loss”
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No matter how thoroughly one has prepared for the inevitability of death, when the time comes it still can be a shock to the system. In this webinar, a local marriage and family therapist will discuss the complexities of grief and loss, including anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss. Participants will be provided with coping strategies to help them both during the final stages of life and after their loved one has passed.
June 8, 2023
“Self-Care for the Caregiver”
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The stress that family caregivers experience as their loved one declines can be staggering. The constant fluctuation of changing roles, uncertainty about the future, and fatigue may ultimately result in compromised health and family dysfunction. This webinar will focus on understanding the causes of stress, strategies for coping, and the importance of seeking support and utilizing resources.
May 11, 2023
“End-of-Life Issues: Hospice and Palliative Care”
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End-of-life care refers to both the medical care and the emotional support that patients and families receive when death is imminent. While the dying process can vary greatly from individual to individual, in this webinar Hope Hospice staff will share general information about what to expect in the final days of life, transitioning to palliative (comfort) care, selecting hospice services, and making funeral arrangements.
April 13, 2023
“New Dementia Diagnosis — Next Steps”
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Hearing a medical professional confirm that the memory issues you (or a loved one) have been experiencing are, in fact, early symptoms of dementia would understandably be cause for concern. While it may only be natural to think about the worst-case scenario, receiving a dementia diagnosis early on is actually a good thing, giving you and your family more time to plan for the challenges that lie ahead. Hope Hospice’s dementia specialists will share resources and strategies to help individuals and families prepare for the inevitable changes a dementia diagnosis will bring.
February 9, 2023
“Living With Dementia: Managing Daily Care”
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GEMs chart
Activities
Providing daily care for a loved one with dementia can present overwhelming demands on the family caregiver, often leading to frustration and exhaustion. With the goal of enhancing the overall well-being of all involved, this webinar offers strategies for planning daily activities such as dressing, dining, personal hygiene and exercising, as well as social and leisure activities.
January 12, 2023
“Making Decisions About Caregiving”
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Senior housing chart
Handling sensitive topics and making difficult decisions about providing for care for a loved one, especially when emotions are high, is never easy. This webinar will cover information about assessing needs, working together with family members, accessing community services and resources, relocating loved ones, and exploring various care settings including in-home and residential care.
March 9, 2023
“Navigating the Healthcare Environment: Advocating for Your Loved One”
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Understanding your rights and learning to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals are essential in advocating for your loved ones and yourself in a complex healthcare system. Webinar topics will include tips for communicating effectively with healthcare professionals, handling hospitalizations, and understanding the discharge process and follow-up care.
January 20, 2022
“The ABCs of LTC: An Overview of Long-Term Care”
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Options for financing LTC
Overview of LTC insurance
FAQ About LTC insurance
Hope Hospice’s Family Caregiver Education Series is sponsoring a presentation from the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) and Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS) of Alameda County. In this webinar, attendees will receive valuable information about long-term care, including:
