Dementia Consulting
in Evanston, IL
Expert Dementia Consulting – Support for the Whole Family
Has one of your family members recently been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, or Alzheimer’s?
Do you feel exhausted trying to juggle work and caregiving, all while harboring guilt that you can’t do more for your loved one?
Are you trying to figure out how to talk to your loved one in a way they can understand and navigate daily routines without arguments?
A Dementia Diagnosis Can Leave Caregivers with Endless Questions
Dementia can feel like a slow unraveling of your relationship with your loved one. The parent who once gave you advice might now ask you the same question several times in an hour, or the partner you built a life with may look at you with confusion.
No matter how long it’s been since a doctor delivered the news, you’ve probably been carrying the heavy weight of grief and uncertainty. Your loved one’s symptoms might be keeping you up at night, your mind spinning with questions like:
My loved one keeps insisting that nothing is wrong—where do I go from here?
What should I do when they say they want to go home, but we’re already there?
I’m worried about my loved one driving. But what if they push back on losing their independence?
Why are they so resistant to basic tasks, such as getting dressed, showering, or taking medications?
How can I communicate with my loved one when every conversation leads to frustration?
With a dementia consultant like me in your family’s corner, you’ll always have a professional adviser to turn to for solutions.
Have any questions? Send Me a message!
You Don’t Have to Face This Alone – I’m Here for You
Many families try to problem-solve on their own when their loved one with dementia grows suspicious or lashes out, hoping that love and patience will be enough.
But Alzheimer’s and all types of dementia are complex conditions, and figuring out how to care for your loved one while handling your own responsibilities is challenging. Regular doctor’s visits tend to focus on your loved one’s medical needs, rarely offering practical advice on the day-to-day moments that wear you down the most.
Where You Feel Uncertain, My Expertise Can Fill in the Gaps
Dementia consulting is good for anyone who doesn’t know what they need in their situation. A consultation is a great place to start. I can assess and make recommendations based upon your needs and their budget.
Having spent thousands of hours working directly with couples and families navigating a dementia diagnosis, drawing on my background with the Alzheimer’s Association and hospital memory clinics has helped me develop a deep understanding of how profoundly this disease impacts daily life and relationships.
If you’re struggling to process your loved one’s diagnosis, you can rest assured that I’m prepared to give your family personalized, compassionate support.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Consulting: Guidance for Every Step of the Journey
As a dementia and Alzheimer’s consultant, it is important for me to build trusting partnerships with the families I work with. Rather than handing you a checklist of generic advice, we’ll collaborate to address the most pressing problems and stressful decisions you’re currently facing.
This kind of support is a fit for families at any stage of the journey. Some clients reach out before or right after a diagnosis, but most come to me a little further down the road while trying to manage issues at home like:
A loved one who claims nothing is wrong and refuses help
Whether or not their loved one is safe living alone
Indecision over whether or not memory care is the next step, and how to decide when the time is right
Accusations of lying or stealing
Refusal to give up driving
Avoiding basic hygiene, like showering or getting dressed
Sundowning, agitation, anxiety, paranoia, or wandering
Other families contact me after their loved one has already moved into assisted living or memory care because they still need someone to lean on–-whether it be for helping their loved one with the transition, communicating with staff, support with behavioral symptoms, ensuring quality of life, or dealing with the emotional side of this transition.
Creating a Stable Foundation During a Difficult Chapter
In dementia consulting, I draw on my extensive clinical background to assist you with:
Medical Advocacy and Crisis Support: Healthcare is disjointed and can feel confusing, especially during a crisis. We translate what doctors and support staff are saying and help you state your needs and concerns to make sure your loved one gets the care they deserve from the medical system.
Support for Your Relationship: The diagnosis changes the dynamic between couples and adult children. I teach you practical ways to handle early-stage changes together and stay connected while navigating these transitions.
Coaching: Through one-on-one sessions or larger family meetings, I provide the sounding board you need to process your own fatigue and frustration, ensuring you have the emotional capacity to keep showing up as the person your loved one needs.
During our consultation sessions, I’ll equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to go from crisis control to proactive decision-making. My goal is to help you cultivate peace within your household while preserving your own wellbeing.
In addition to meeting with the primary caregiver, I’m more than happy to include other family members in our sessions. This helps everyone see eye-to-eye. If requested, I can keep others updated who are involved but unable to participate in sessions.
How Can Dementia Consulting Help Your Family?
Although dementia and Alzheimer’s consultations can look a little different for everyone depending on your family’s specific needs, here are a few support areas we can address during sessions.
Behavioral Decoding
We go beyond simply managing your loved one’s symptoms to understanding the “why” behind confusing behaviors. I help you uncover what your loved one is communicating through their actions so you can better address their needs and respond with empathy.
Communication Coaching
When your loved one has dementia, conversations might feel like a one-way street. With guidance, you can learn how to talk with your loved one rather than at them. I provide practical scripts and techniques to avoid unnecessary arguments and foster moments of joy.
Relationship Preservation
Dementia changes relationships, but you don’t have to give up on your connection with your loved one. Together, we can explore the ambiguous loss of dementia and discover new ways to cherish your loved one, even as they change.
Caregiver Resilience
Being a caregiver comes with intense emotional turmoil. I create a dedicated space to process your guilt, exhaustion, fears, and hopes. Opening up can empower you to keep going without burning out.
Family Alignment
When family members have different perspectives on what’s “normal” or best for your loved one, it creates tension. I facilitate transparent, honest conversations to get everyone on the same page regarding memory care, hiring professional caregivers, adult daycare, and other transitions. I can also make recommendations for dividing up caregiving tasks between siblings and relatives.
When we meet, we’ll catch up on how things have been going since our last meeting, how your loved one is adjusting, and any questions you have. If your loved one’s needs grow more complex over time, our consulting relationship can serve as a natural stepping stone into more comprehensive care management.
Frequently Asked Questions
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While consulting cannot cure dementia, it completely changes how you and your family experience it. Investing in expert guidance protects your wellbeing and restores stability to your home life. We can explore options within your budget to find what works for you.
Without specialized strategies, caregiving often leads to severe burnout, health issues, household friction, and costly emergency interventions. Consulting gives you practical tools to streamline daily routines, prevent behavioral crises, and make confident decisions.
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Yes, absolutely. Moving into a care facility changes the nature of caregiving, but it does not eliminate it, nor does it remove the complexity. I help families navigate facility transitions, advocate with staff, and address behavioral changes or care resistance.
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This is common, and they do not need to attend sessions for consulting to work. Dementia consulting is primarily designed for family caregivers. I’ll focus on equipping you with dementia-specific communication tools, de-escalation methods, and routine changes. You will learn how to handle care resistance and manage challenging behaviors in your daily interactions without forcing confrontations or expecting your loved one to acknowledge their diagnosis.
Your Family Deserves a Trusted Advisor
Talk Dementia Care with Peggy Rubenstein offers consulting for families whose loved ones are living with a mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s, or another type of dementia.
To learn more about how dementia consulting can benefit you and your family, contact me to book a discovery call. I provide consulting services to clients throughout the USA.
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