stage: 6

Support for bereaved dementia carers — the help available for a grief that doesn't fit the usual shape

Bereavement after caring for a parent with dementia often has a particular quality that standard grief support does not always address. The grief may be complicated by ambivalence — relief alongside loss — and by the fact that much of the grieving may already have happened during the illness. Organisations that offer specific support include Cruse Bereavement Support, which offers one-to-one counselling and helpline support, and Dementia UK, which provides Admiral Nurse support to families affected by dementia including after bereavement. Many hospices also offer bereavement support to families of people who were under their care. GP surgeries can refer to counselling services. Peer support from others who have been through the same experience is often described as the most helpful of all. Give yourself permission to seek support before you feel you have earned it.