Have you moved beyond the initial steps of your caregiving journey and now find yourself needing to take more control while your loved one still believes they can do most things independently? Are you noticing that simple tasks are becoming increasingly challenging for them, yet they resist your help? You’re not alone! You’ve entered what we call the “messy middle” stage of your caregiving journey.

We created for you the comprehensive, 20-step caregiving journey roadmap guide, Navigating Dementia Caregiving Roadmap

Connect with us and share your tips:

• Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/
• Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney
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• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/
• Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org

Full Show Notes

Additional Resources Mentioned

Messy Middle

First Steps - You recognize it’s time to assert more control 

11. Focus on safety. 

• Listen to these podcasts or read these blogs.
• Home Alone - Hear about the deal breakers for living home alone:
• 21 minute TCJ podcast: 6. Home Alone
• TCJ blog: 6. Home Alone.
• Medication - Understand strategies to safely manage medication:
• 20 minute TCJ podcast: 20. Medication Management
• TCJ blog: 20. Medication Management.
• Home Safety - Find approaches to the basics of home safety:
• 25 minute TCJ podcast: 7. Home Safety 
• TCJ blog: 7. Home Safety
• Wandering - Learn ways to manage three types of wandering: outside, inside and during the night.
• 20 minute TCJ podcast: 4. Wandering 
• TCJ blog: 4. Wandering.

12. Continue to prioritize your self-care. 

• Understand how to approach the realities of self-care:
• 23 minute TCJ podcast: 27. The Realities of Caregiver Self-Care
• TCJ blog: 27. The Reality of Caregiver Self-Care.

13. Educate yourself on activities of daily living (ADLs).

• Prepare for changes in your loved ones ability to manage their ADLs.
• Listen to these podcasts or read these blogs on activities of daily living:
• 26 minute TCJ podcast: 9. Preparing for Incontinence 
• TCJ blog: 9. Preparing for Incontinence
• 21 minute TCJ podcast: 14. Bathing and Dressing
• TCJ blog: 14. Bathing and Dressing
• 21 minute TCJ podcast: 15. Personal Care e.g. brushing teeth, trimming hair 
• TCJ blog: 15. Personal Care
• 21 minute TCJ podcast: 16. Eating and Drinking 
• TCJ blog: 16. Eating and Drinking.

14.Create a Care Plan - at minimum a Family Emergency Plan.

• 25 minute TCJ podcast: 33. How to Create a Care Plan 
• TCJ blog: 33. Creating a Care Plan.

Messy Middle - Continued

Second Steps - It’s time for more support

15. Start or increase leveraging dementia/adult day programs. 

• Community resource finder: 
• Select Community Services and choose Adult Day Centers for your search.

16. Start thinking about professional help.

• Educate yourself: 
• Evaluate continuing care communities (even if you never plan to use one) just in case.
• 33 minute TCJ podcast: 28. Home and Community Living Options 
• TCJ blog: 28. Home and Community Living Options.
• Understand the types of paid caregivers:
• 26 minute TCJ podcast: 32. Hiring a Paid Caregiver 
• TCJ blog: 32. Hiring a Paid Caregiver.
• Find an organization to help. Search online: ‘Senior Care Advisor’ + ‘your area’.
• Look for options yourself. Go to the Community Resource Finder sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP.

17. Continue your education.

• Take the Savvy Caregiver Advanced training (this can be taken in-person or virtually).
• Delusions:
• 38 minute TCJ podcast: 23. Delusions
• TCJ blog: 23. Delusions.
• Incontinence:
• 26 minute TCJ podcast: 10. Incontinence Begins 
• TCJ blog: 10. Incontinence Begins.

• Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney