Dementia Counseling
The Advice & Support Dementia Caregivers Need NOW!
What is Dementia Counseling for Caregivers?
Processing your experiences with being a dementia caregiver. Stress can pile up from the daily challenges of being a dementia caregiver. The primary reasons why individuals seek help are stress and burnout. Think of dementia counseling as another resource to add to your caregiver’s toolbox.
Is the stress of caregiving weighing you down?
Do you struggle with too many doctors or conflicting answers?
Do you struggle with too many medications?
HOW CAN DEMENTIA COUNSELING HELP ME
Families, caregivers, and health professionals often find it difficult to assemble all the necessary information or resources to find the support they need. As a result, families may exhaust themselves—physically and financially—caring for a loved one, unaware of the many kinds of support available to those with Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Counseling is probably the right option when you don’t know what to do next.
COUNSELING FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
You need the tools and experience to determine the right solutions for your unique situation. Since four out of five dementia patients live at home—and caring for these people is more than a full-time job—neither patients nor families have much time for reading.
Our goal is to give you the ability to live with less stress and more joy and happiness. What it takes is proper care, support, and education.
Managing the care of a partner or relative with dementia may be one of life’s most difficult challenges. It can’t be done—not for long, anyway—under exhaustion, isolation, personal anxiety, and professional chaos. As a result, caregivers often get so burned out that their physical and emotional health suffers. A geriatrician can help balance the competing demands of the patient, family, and caregiver.With dementia counseling, setbacks can have positive outcomes, and life can continue to bring love, joy, and fulfillment.
Often families find themselves at a loss when caring for a loved one living with dementia. So many variables; the causes and the symptoms lead to challenges that can overwhelm caregivers. Many resources exist but may not address your specific situation.
We offer personalized dementia counseling – one-to-one educational consultations – to help you navigate your challenges and learn approaches that may resolve difficult situations with our dementia care advisors.
It all starts with a Geriatric Assessment.
WHAT DO I GET FROM A GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT
We will help you ask the right questions of doctors, elder care lawyers, care managers, caregivers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, facility managers, and other professionals. We are advocates for the elder, the caregiver, and your family. Sometimes having a geriatrician on the team makes sense to sort the multiple issues of dementia and age. We can assist with diagnosis, direct the care or coordinate with an existing medical team.
Get Help Now!
MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL, FUNCTIONAL AND PAIN PROBLEM SOLVING
Elizabeth Landsverk MD
Dr Landsverk (Dr Liz) provides in-depth evaluation to the medical, behavioral, pain and function challenges to elders in their home. This is similar, but not telemedicine. Dr Landsverk has over 20 years of experience as an assistant professor of Medicine, UCSF, consultant to the San Francisco Elder Abuse Forensics Center, hospice medical director, medical director for Silverado and Kensington Dementia Communities, as well as housecalls for 15 years for elders with complex medical and behavioral symptoms. She works to identify medications that may be problematic, assess pain, advise primary providers on strategies to improve function, relieve pain and restore joy.
Each Session Includes:
- Review of Geriatric Assessment
- Medical review of the health records
- 30-minute telehealth video appointment
- Follow up written report with suggestions you can discuss with your doctor complete with an action plan
CARE TEAM MEMBER
COLLEEN HAGAN
Colleen Hagan joins our team with nearly fifteen years in home care, a background in science and five years of teaching experience. After earning a biology degree from Stonehill College, she studied public health at Harvard University, then went on to earn a certificate in Phlebotomy from De Anza College. Colleen got her start in home healthcare in 2009 and has since worked in a number of management and operational roles. She is currently the Director of Care Coordination at Tender Rose Dementia Care Specialists, a home healthcare agency that specializes in providing individualized care for clients with dementia.
In her free time, Colleen loves long walks on the beach and hugging every dog she sees!
Each Session Includes:
- Professional review of caregiver’s challenges
- 30-minutes discussion of your unique situation
- Caregiver support and problem solving
CARE TEAM MEMBER
YANA RUDAKOV RN
Yana Rudakov — RN, MSN, MMFT & CMC — is the incoming President of the Aging Life Care Association (ALCA). Yana will be leading one of our upcoming support groups, as well as serving as a member of our medical care team. As a Registered Nurse and Certified Care Manager, Yana is uniquely qualified to look over the metaphorical “fence” between care manager and nurse. Dr Liz Geriatrics is excited to welcome her to the team.
Each Session Includes:
- Professional review of caregiver’s challenges
- 30-minutes discussion of your unique situation
- Caregiver support and problem solving