2. Support within families

Communication has been studied by many and research says that when we communicate 7% is verbal (what we say); 38% is communicated through the tone of our voice and 55% is non- verbal communication (our facial expressions/ body language / eye contact).

Most of us have created ‘relationships’ from the people in our lives such as our families, friends and partners who are important to us.

Many family members rely on each other for emotional, physical, and sometimes economic support and families are one of the primary sources of relationship security and / or stress. The patterns of interactions among relatives, their roles and relationships are sometimes referred to as Family Dynamics.  

Each family is unique and several factors can influence family dynamics. Secure and supportive family relationships provide love, advice, and care, whereas stressful family relationships are burdened with arguments, constant critical feedback, and onerous demands.  All families have some helpful and unhelpful dynamics, which may change with age and with life events

Speaking about the impact of dementia on family, a person living with dementia says: 

‘One of the things about this (dementia) is - it’s in the family and the family has not only me and my wife, but we have our children and the children have their spouses. In other words this whole thing about Alzheimer’s is not just about two people; it’s about a whole mess of people. Not only our families but our extended families and their friends. It gets very very involved’.