When Dementia Changes Everything: New Resources for Two of Caregiving’s Toughest Challenges
March 5, 2026
Caring for someone with dementia means navigating challenges you never expected. Some days it’s refusing to take a shower. Other days it’s a safety concern that requires immediate attention.
These aren’t easy topics to talk about, but they’re ones too many caregivers face alone. That’s why Family Caregiver Alliance has just released two new fact sheets designed to help you handle two of dementia caregiving’s most difficult situations: managing resistance and addressing firearms safety.
When “No” Becomes the Daily Answer
If you’re caring for someone with dementia, you’ve likely heard “No” more times than you can count. No to pills. No to showers. No to the doctor. No to using a walker. The resistance can be exhausting, especially when you’re just trying to keep them safe and healthy.
Our new fact sheet, Resistance, offers practical strategies for the battles caregivers face most often. From medications and bathing to exercise and mobility aids, you’ll find specific tactics that work, including how to avoid power struggles, when to use “therapeutic lies” and how to acknowledge feelings without getting stuck in endless explanations.
The goal isn’t to “win” every argument. It’s to find ways to provide care that preserve dignity while keeping everyone safe.
When Safety Becomes Urgent
Some challenges go beyond daily resistance. When there’s a firearm in the home and dementia is progressing, safety takes on a new urgency.
According to recent research, 60% of older adults with dementia live in homes with firearms. Firearm suicides among people with dementia have increased by 44% over the past decade. These aren’t just statistics; they’re families facing an impossible conversation.
Our new fact sheet, Guns and Dementia: A Caregiver’s Guide, walks you through how to have this difficult discussion, what warning signs to watch for and the legal options available when safety is at risk. You’ll find sample firearm retirement agreements, checklists for secure storage and guidance on when and how to bring in reinforcements like physicians, law enforcement or trusted family members.
Gun ownership is deeply personal and, for many, tied to identity and independence. This resource helps you navigate that sensitivity while prioritizing everyone’s safety.
You’re Not Alone in This
Whether you’re dealing with daily resistance or facing a safety crisis, these challenges are real and they’re hard. But you don’t have to figure them out on your own.
Both fact sheets are free and available now on our website. They’re written by experts who understand dementia caregiving and designed to give you practical tools you can use today.