Dementia Is More Than Forgetting
Helping Families Understand Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Clear Education • Practical Caregiving Tips • Confidence at Home
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia can leave you with questions you never expected to have.
Why are they doing this?
Is this part of dementia?
What should I do next?
You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
Hi, I’m Larea.
I’ve been helping families understand Alzheimer’s and dementia for almost 20 years.
As an RN with almost 30 years of nursing experience and a Certified Dementia Specialist, I’ve cared for people living with dementia in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living, homes, and hospice.
I’ve also walked this road with members of my own family.
And there is one thing I wish every dementia caregiver understood:
Dementia is about much more than memory loss.
It changes how the brain processes information, communicates, makes decisions, understands the environment, and responds to everyday situations.
Once you begin to understand the WHY behind what you are seeing, caregiving can start to make a little more sense.
My goal is to help you understand what is happening, know what to watch for, and feel more prepared for what may come next.
What Do You Need Help With Today?
You don’t need to learn everything about dementia at once.
Start with what you need right now.
I Need to Understand Dementia
Learn what dementia really does to the brain, why memory loss is only part of the disease, and what changes you may see as dementia progresses.
I Need Help With Caregiving
Find practical help for behaviors, communication, bathing, toileting, eating, sleep, safety, doctor visits, and other everyday challenges.
I Need Tools & Resources
Find free forms, checklists, guides, printables, and other resources created to make dementia caregiving a little easier.
Looking for Something Specific?
Search Alzheimer’s In Your Home for the caregiving topic you need help with.
🎥 Sometimes It’s Easier to Watch Than Read
There is so much information to learn when you become a dementia caregiver.
And when you’re already tired and overwhelmed, reading another long article may be the last thing you want to do.
That’s why I created the Dementia Caregiver Video Library.
These short educational lessons help explain the WHY behind dementia and give you practical ideas you can use while caring for someone you love.
Start with topics like:
🧠 Alzheimer’s vs. Dementia
🧠 How Dementia Changes the Brain
💜 Changing Your Approach
🔎 Understanding Dementia Behaviors
🏠 Dementia Safety & Fall Prevention
New caregiver education videos are added regularly.
Understanding the WHY Can Change How You Provide Care
When someone with dementia refuses a shower, asks the same question again, becomes angry, starts pacing, or suddenly struggles with something they have done for years, it can be easy to focus on the behavior.
But the behavior may only be the clue.
Instead of only asking:
“How do I stop this?”
Try asking:
“WHY might this be happening?”
Pain. Fear. Hunger. Confusion. Fatigue. Overstimulation. Medication changes. Illness. Changes in the brain.
There may be a reason.
🔎 Become a Dementia Detective
Look for the clue.
Write it down.
Watch for the pattern.
Find the WHY.
The more you understand what may be behind a change, the better prepared you are to respond to what your loved one needs.
Practical Tools to Help You Along the Way
You don’t have to keep everything in your head.
These resources can help you learn, organize information, track changes, and prepare for what comes next.
🧰 Free Dementia Caregiver Toolbox
Find practical checklists, forms, guides, and printables for everyday dementia care.
🎓 Understanding Dementia Course
Learn what dementia does to the brain, why behaviors happen, how dementia changes over time, and practical ways to respond.
📒 The Dementia Caregiver’s Notebook
Keep important information in one place and track changes in medications, sleep, behaviors, meals, pain, falls, appointments, and more.
Look for the clue. Write it down. Watch for the pattern.
💜 A Little Caregiver Wisdom in Your Inbox
Pearls of Wisdom for Dementia Caregivers
You’re going to have questions as dementia changes.
Each week, I share a little caregiver “Pearl of Wisdom” to help you better understand dementia, recognize changes, and handle everyday caregiving situations with more confidence.
You’ll receive simple dementia education, practical caregiving tips, new videos, helpful resources, and reminders that can help you along the way.
You Don’t Have to Caregive Alone
Sometimes you need information.
Sometimes you simply need to talk to someone who understands.
The private Alzheimer’s In Your Home Caregiver Support Group is a place for dementia caregivers to ask questions, share experiences, encourage one another, and connect with people walking a similar road.
Latest Dementia Caregiver Education
Looking for more help?
Explore the latest dementia caregiving articles, videos, and practical tips from Alzheimer’s In Your Home.
Dementia Behaviors: Why They Happen & What Caregivers Can Do
Dementia behaviors often have a reason. Learn how to become a Dementia Detective, track the clues, recognize patterns, find the WHY, and respond to what your loved one may need.
The Alzheimer’s Approach: How to Approach Someone With Dementia
Caring for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia can sometimes leave you wondering: Why...
What Dementia Really Does to the Brain (And Why Behavior Changes)
When someone you love is living with dementia, it can feel like they're becoming a different...
You Don’t Have to Learn Everything Today
Dementia caregiving is a journey.
What your loved one needs today may be very different from what they need six months from now.
The important thing is to keep learning, keep watching for changes, and take it one step at a time.
Dementia Is More Than Forgetting.
And the more you understand the changing brain, the better prepared you can be for the changes that come with it.
Larea McQueen, RN
Certified Dementia Care
Alzheimer’s In Your Home