What should I tell visitors about how to interact with my loved one?

You should set expectations by letting visitors know what your loved one can still do and understand. Ask them not to correct or argue if they forget something, and remind them not to take behavior or lack of recognition personally, as it stems from confusion, not intention.

Should I correct my loved one if they say something wrong or forget something?

No. It is better to go along with what they are saying or gently redirect the conversation. Arguing or correcting them can easily lead to distress and agitation for the person with dementia.

What are the best ways to create a supportive environment during visits?

Encourage visitors to speak calmly, respectfully, and to avoid crowding personal space. Recommend they visit during times when your loved one is most alert, and plan simple, meaningful activities like looking at old photos or discussing the past.

Educating Family and Friends About Dementia

Active little preschool kid boy and grand grandmother playing card game together at home

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia, sharing the news with family and friends can be challenging, but being open helps others understand the disease and support both you and your loved one.

Help Others Understand

Share the diagnosis as an opportunity to educate others.
Provide articles or websites about dementia.
Explain how the condition will affect your loved one over time.

Set Expectations for Interactions

Let people know what your loved one can still do and understand.
Ask visitors not to correct or argue with them if they forget something.
Remind guests not to take it personally if your loved one doesn’t recognize them or acts out. This behavior comes from confusion, not intention.

Create a Supportive Environment

Suggest speaking calmly and with respect.
Encourage visitors not to talk to your loved one like a child.
Avoid crowding their personal space.
Recommend visiting during times when your loved one is most alert
Plan simple, meaningful activities like looking at old photos or talking about the past

Build Your Network

Tell family and friends how they can support you as a caregiver
Encourage involvement. A strong support network benefits both you and your loved one

Top Tip: Make it your mission to make connections with other caregivers. If reading this, try to reach out to two other caregivers in your community today, one who you think may need help and one who is perhaps more experienced than you. This is a simple way to build a community around caregiving, to share ideas, tips, and compassion for each other.

FAQs

What if family or friends seem uncomfortable?

Start small. Share simple information and suggest ways they can help without overwhelming them.

Should I ask family and friends for help?

Absolutely. Even if you need to educate family and friends on how to care for your loved one with dementia, you need to ask for help from your network when you need it. Caregiving is challenging, so you need help to give time back to yourself.

How often should visitors come?

Keep visits short and consistent. A familiar routine helps reduce confusion.

Want to Learn More?

We hope this tip helps you on your caregiver journey. To learn more, visit our guides to dementia and Alzheimer’s and memory care. These articles are a great place to start learning about this disease and what care looks like in a memory care community.

For more answers to quick common questions, visit our FAQ page.

You can also check out our upcoming events for caregiver education and support.