Area Agency on Aging

Dementia caregiving can expose hidden family tensions – but early planning can ease the strain

<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/760891/original/file-20260918-50-6ykwcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&rect=7%2C0%2C6114%2C4076&q=45&auto=format&w=1050&h=700&fit=crop" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Caring for someone with dementia can be especially challenging because the condition can profoundly change how a person interacts with their loved ones. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.agewithoutlimits.org/image-library/">Peter Kindersley via Centre for Ageing Better</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Families are messy, aren’t they?” a daughter commented during a series of focus groups I ran with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/15333175251357328">caregivers of older adults with memory issues</a>. </p> <p>Many people would agree with that sentiment. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2017.12.004">complexity can be com