CANCELED: D is for Dementia: A Caregiver’s Journey through Despair and Depression to Determination, Dignity, and Duty to Self
In-Person – Tuesday 1:10 pm – 2:50 pm
Sept. 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15
Have you ever felt angry, despondent, hopeless or helpless in a given situation where you question your own purpose in life? Someone who is caring for a loved one who has dementia may answer a resounding “yes” to this question. Dementia is a cruel and menacing disease. It can be described in a multitude of words that begin with the letter D: Degenerative, Disheartening, Disabling to name a few. We examine how dementia differs from just getting older, what causes memory loss and the progression of the disease. We explore the burden of decision making, the meaning of “ambiguous loss” and the turning of fear into freedom. Most importantly, we question how to regain and maintain resilience in the face of psychological decline. Learning the importance of “duty to self” reigns supreme in embracing this disease rather than resisting it.
- Week 1: Understanding dementia: What is it? How it differs from aging, how testing for dementia works, causes of memory loss
- Week 2: Dealing with emotions: Exploring unresolved grief, learning to walk in their shoes, developing new relationships, what does “ambiguous loss” mean?
- Week 3: Understanding the various stages of dementia and the need for decision making: Caring smarter not harder, dealing with other family members, dealing with finances, taking away the car keys
- Week 4: Turning fear into freedom, dealing with problem behaviors, developing a caregiver toolbox, the myth of closure, learning resilience in the face of dementia
- Week 5: Duty to self: The importance of self-care, what about you? Support groups, balancing control with acceptance, creating a network of support, imagining new hopes and dreams
Nancy Berkowitz obtained her BS and MS degrees in Community Counseling from the University of Bridgeport. She became the director of counseling and a counseling advocate for the Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) in Norwalk and Stamford. In addition, she became an adjunct professor at University of Bridgeport, teaching counseling and developing an undergraduate course in domestic violence. During the past two years, Nancy has dedicated herself to being a caregiver 24/7 for her husband, who has Vascular Dementia. Her experiences have led her to a life of determination and resilience, along with a desire to share her knowledge and perhaps lessen the load for others.