Ask what the diagnosis means in practice
Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia are different names. Ask the professional to explain the person’s diagnosis clearly and what remains uncertain. Do not decide the type from one behaviour or an online chart. Ask which changes should be reported, how review is arranged and who can help with communication, movement or routines.
Organise help around need, not only stage
Divide the day into activities: dressing, meals, outings, rest and contact with others. For each, note what the person does independently, what help they accept and what has changed. Offer simple instructions and time without speaking about them as if they were absent. Do not treat a stage as a reliable timetable for the future. Review support when a routine stops working.
Plan for change and rest
Discuss night-time support, outings and a backup helper in advance without promising that a sensor solves everything. Seek assessment for sleep or eating problems rather than improvising treatment. Relatives need rest and guidance too. A sudden change must not simply be called “the next stage”: seek prompt medical help. Decision-making and representation need appropriate local advice, not assumptions imported from another country.
