Families and continuing care providers work together to provide good quality, person-centred care for people living with dementia – yet sometimes, this experience is marked by frustration or resistance on both sides. A new video produced by SafeCare BC and the Alzheimer Society of B.C. explores the challenges and successes of caring for people living with dementia, with the aim of fostering more understanding between the two groups.

“We are going to assist the person, but we’re going to do it as a team,” says Bryan, a care aide working in a long-term care home.

Just as each person receiving care is unique, so is each relationship between families and their continuing care providers. The video, entitled “Dementia care teams: Families and continuing care providers working together,” offers unfiltered discussion on how these differing perspectives can either yield a positive working relationship or a challenging one for both parties.

For families, the process can be just as challenging and often filled with difficult feelings of grief, guilt and loneliness.

“I knew that I was having to let go of being her caregiver,” says Jory, a caregiver for his wife, who lived with dementia. “I had to hold her care loosely in my hands.”

Both SafeCare and the Alzheimer Society of B.C. believe that the most successful care teams are teams of people who develop strong relationships based on clear communication and mutual respect. Ultimately, they’re all working towards the same goal: to provide the best care possible for the person living with dementia.