Valentine’s Day & Dementia: What to Consider When Your Partner Has Dementia

Dementia does not define who they are.

Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can severely test the vows you made to one another many moons ago. It is a very difficult and strenuous job that inevitably causes pain and grief for the person you once knew – before dementia came crashing into your lives.

However, whilst loving and caring for someone with dementia can be hard, you will find that it can be incredibly rewarding if you remember a few important things. So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day (14th February), here is what you should consider when your partner has dementia:

Dementia does not define who they are.

Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia is devastating and life-changing both for the patient and for their loved ones, but it is crucial to remember that dementia does not become that person. You knew who they were before their diagnosis, and it is important to hold on to those memories of who they really are.