Worldwide, carers of people with dementia should have access to information and support tailored to their needs in order to effectively respond to, and manage, the physical, mental and social demands associated with caring for someone living with dementia. iSupport has been developed to provide accessible, evidence-based training and information, tailored to carers’ needs. It aims to improve knowledge and caregiving skills, such as carers’ ability to cope with dementia symptoms and care for themselves. iSupport seeks to enable people with dementia to live in the community while preventing or reducing carer stress. The lessons included in this manual were carefully designed to help carers tackle the important challenges that they may face when caring for someone living with dementia.
What is included in the iSupport manual?
The manual is organized into five modules
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Introduction to dementia
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Being a carer
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Caring for me
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Providing everyday care
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Dealing with behaviour changes that might happen in people living with dementia.
Module 1 provides an introduction to what dementia is, including what happens to people with dementia and what to do if you think that your family member or friend has dementia.
Module 2 focuses on improving communication, shared decision-making and involving others in caring for the person living with dementia.
Module 3 aims to reduce carer stress by making time for pleasant activities and thinking differently.
Module 4 focuses on eating and drinking, including creating more pleasant mealtimes and preventing health problems, using the toilet and continence care, and personal care.
Module 5 provides an introduction to common changes in behaviour for people with dementia that might be distressing and upsetting for both the person with dementia and you as the carer. These symptoms include memory loss, aggression, depression and anxiety, difficulty sleeping, delusion and hallucinations, repetitive behaviour, walking and getting lost as well as poor or decreased judgement.
Who is the target audience?
This iSupport manual is primarily for carers of people with dementia, including family members and relatives, friends, and other carers.
However, iSupport may also be of interest to others, for example:
- nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) providing skills training, support and/or information to carers of people with dementia;
- health and social care workers providing care and information to carers of people with dementia; and
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private sector representatives involved in the development of health technologies for dementia, dementia health care service delivery or health care insurance.
