Common Questions Resource Library
Caregiver Resources Library
Practical guidance for caregivers, designed to meet you where you are.
Caring for someone with memory loss can raise questions you didn’t expect to face. This resource library is here to help you understand what’s happening, respond to day-to-day challenges, and explore support and planning options at your own pace. You don’t need to read everything, and you don’t need to have a plan. Start wherever feels most helpful right now.
Understanding Dementia & Brain Change
Learning about dementia can help caregivers feel more confident and better prepared. This section provides a clear, non-medical overview of dementia and common brain changes, with a focus on what these changes may mean for everyday life and caregiving.
Dementia Basics
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe changes in memory, thinking, behavior, and communication that affect daily life. While Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, there are several other types of dementia. Regardless of the diagnosis, many caregiving challenges and supports are similar. Our focus is on helping caregivers understand what these changes may mean for day-to-day life and how to care for a loved one with confidence and compassion.
Common Types of Dementia Include:
- Alzheimer’s Disease: The most common form of dementia, often affecting memory and orientation early on. Care needs typically increase gradually over time.
- Vascular Dementia: Related to changes in blood flow in the brain. Abilities may change more suddenly or in steps, which can be confusing for families.
- Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): Often affects behavior, personality, or language before memory is impacted. Changes can feel unexpected and are sometimes misunderstood.
- Lewy Body Dementia: May involve changes in attention, movement, sleep, and visual perception. Symptoms can fluctuate from day to day.
- Parkinson’s Disease with Dementia: Occurs in some individuals with Parkinson’s disease and may affect thinking, attention, and daily functioning over time.
Challenging Behaviors
Changes in the brain can affect behavior, communication, and emotional responses. Caregivers may notice things like agitation, repetition, resistance to care, or personality changes. Understanding why these behaviors happen and learning strategies to respond with empathy can reduce stress for both the caregiver and the person living with dementia.
Practical Help & Community Resources
Caregiving often involves managing daily tasks in addition to providing emotional support. This section connects you with community-based resources that can help reduce stress and make day-to-day life a little more manageable.
Recommendation for 55+ Affordable Housing: Heron Pond
Supporting a Loved One from a Distance
Caring for someone with dementia isn’t always possible in person. This resource is designed for family members who live far away but are still deeply involved in care. It offers practical guidance on staying connected, coordinating support, communicating with care providers, and navigating decisions, so you can support your loved one with confidence, even from a distance.
Safety Resources
Changes related to dementia can affect judgment, mobility, and awareness, creating safety concerns at home and in the community. This section provides practical information to help caregivers identify potential risks, make environments safer, and plan ahead, supporting both independence and peace of mind.
Wandering Prevention
Wandering is a common and concerning behavior for many caregivers. This section focuses on practical steps to help keep your loved one safe, including planning ahead, making the environment safer, and knowing what to do if someone becomes lost.
ReUnite is a community-based collaborative between United Way and law enforcement agencies in Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties. It is offered free of charge for children and vulnerable adults who may be prone to wandering or becoming lost. The primary objective is to reduce search time when an individual is reported missing by a caregiver. This program provides families with a free scent kit, which will aid search and rescue operations by equipping them with critical information if the at-risk individual becomes lost.
Support, Benefits, & Insurance
Understanding available benefits and insurance options can feel overwhelming, especially while caregiving. These resources provide guidance on programs and benefits that offer support, services, or financial relief for caregivers and their loved ones.
Medicare GUIDE Benefit: The Medicare GUIDE Program supports people living with dementia and their family caregivers by improving care coordination and access to respite services. Individuals with a confirmed dementia diagnosis who are enrolled in traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) may qualify for up to $2,563 per year to help cover respite care, easing caregiver stress and supporting families in continuing care at home.
Health Insurance & Veteran Benefit Resources
Care Options & Planning
Planning for care can bring up difficult questions and emotions. This section is designed to help caregivers understand different care options, compare choices, and approach decisions with clarity and confidence, without pressure.
Community Support Partners: when you need one-on-one guidance, these trusted professionals help support our caregiver community.
Cypress Cove: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing
Cypress at Home: Care Management, Home Care, Home Health
Arden Courts at Ft. Myers: Memory Care
Legal Considerations
Thinking ahead about legal and safety matters can help protect your loved one and provide peace of mind. These resources support caregivers in planning proactively and addressing concerns before they become urgent.
Community Support Partners: when you need one-on-one guidance, these trusted professionals help support our caregiver community.
Amy McGarry Law Office: Estate planning, Probate, Medicaid Planning, Life Care Planning, Long Term Care Planning
