| 160 The social network as a safety net Support from family members was essential as Australian and Polish people with dementia identified their social network as their primary source of support. Sharing experiences and being listened to were important for Dutch and Canadian people with dementia. Australian caregivers appreciated the support they received from their social network whilst Canadian caregivers reflected on the absence of support from their social network. Polish caregivers reported they felt it was their duty or obligation to provide support and emotional stability. ‘During the diagnosis, it is important to have the support from the family and to feel close to them’. (Polish person with dementia) The evolving social network Relationships changed as a result of dementia. Some Australian and Dutch caregivers felt that friends and family members were not working together to provide optimal support, whilst other Dutch and Australian caregivers noted that the family worked well as a support team. Australian people with dementia and caregivers lost friends as they dealt with stigma from friends and family. Loneliness for the person with dementia was a topic brought up by Canadian caregivers. However, Australian and Canadian caregivers and Dutch and Polish people with dementia broadened their social environment by going to peer support groups and positively reflected on their experiences and the support it provided. ‘We’ve got support groups. Yeah, I know. For me, that was a lifeline’. (Australian person with dementia) The challenges and realities of formal support People with dementia and caregivers identified formal support (all support services offered by healthcare systems) as a barrier and facilitator in relation to coming to terms with dementia and navigating life with dementia as a caregiver as it could reduce or add stress to their lives with dementia, depending on their positive or negative experiences.
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