Dementia Caregiver Support

UT Health Austin’s Comprehensive Memory Center diagnoses and treats neurodegenerative conditions that impact memory, behavior, and other cognitive functions in adult patients. We offer caregivers of loved ones living with dementia and cognitive impairment a variety of support services, including guidance to manage behaviors and emotional support to address concerns of daily living, increasing behaviors, and changes in mood and sleep as well as other challenges.

Care Team Approach

Support offered to caregivers through the Comprehensive Memory Center is highly personalized and depends on the areas in which you need assistance in caring for your loved one. The Comprehensive Memory Center care team includes neurologists, neuropsychologists, an advanced practice provider, a speech-language pathologist, social workers, and more who work together to help patients and loved ones live their best lives, have hope, and know that they are not alone.

Your initial appointment will begin with an consultation to review your loved one’s dementia condition, symptoms, behaviors, progression, and more to provide a better understanding of your unique caregiver needs. Your next appointment will consist of completing a caregiver assessment to provide a better understanding of your caregiving goals.

Social Work Caregiver Assessment

As a caregiver, you will attend a one-on-one session with one of our social workers.

Topics covered in this session may include:

Education about dementia progression and stages
Communication strategies
How to respond to challenging behaviors in dementia
Understanding advanced directives and planning for the future
Assistance with community resources

Caregiver Counseling Program

UT Health Austin’s Caregiver Counseling Program within the Comprehensive Memory Center is designed to provide practical and emotional support to family caregivers of people living with cognitive impairment following their initial caregiver assessment. We offer counseling to address the many complex concerns experienced by family caregivers.

Our social worker use a person-centered and strengths-based approach to help family caregivers establish goals that hold personal significance within their caregiving role. Evidence-based interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused approaches, and mindfulness techniques, are used to help family caregivers achieve these goals.

Benefits of Caregiver Counseling

Counseling can help reduce stress and anxiety by providing knowledge on the progression of the condition and an understanding of the prospective changes to come. Research shows the quality of life for people living with dementia can be significantly improved when family caregivers meet with a counselor.

Our social workers provide a safe space for caregivers to express their feelings and concerns, help caregivers work toward an acceptance of their loved one’s condition, and provide guidance and education around improving both the well-being of the caregiver and the quality of care for their loved one.

Sessions with our social workers are:

45-50 minutes
Available in person or through telehealth
Accepted by most insurances
Open to multiple family members and/or the person living with dementia or cognitive impairment

Counseling sessions focus on the following areas:

Coming to terms with the diagnosis
Understanding the progression of the disease
Sharing the diagnosis with family and friends
Navigating family relationships
Helping family caregivers in identifying personal values and beliefs important in their caregiving role
Establishing routines and maintaining structure
Developing effective communication strategies
Addressing legal and financial matters
Planning for long-term housing needs
Managing transportation, including driving concerns
Accessing community resources
Handling challenging behaviors, such as aggression, anxiety, delusions, depression, hallucinations, repetition, sleep issues, sundowning, and wandering
Developing strategies to manage stressors
Coping with caregiving from a distance
Dealing with mixed feelings about seeking help
Navigating issues related to intimacy
Exploring one’s identity as a caregiver
Nurturing emotional well-being, spirituality, and hope
Processing grief and loss
Addressing feelings of depression, anxiety, and burden
Fostering activities that can promote caregiver health and well-being

Appointment Information

Caregivers caring for a loved one with a diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment, preferably confirmed by a specialist, can make an appointment with a social worker at the Comprehensive Memory Center by calling 1-833-UT-CARES (1-833-882-2737). Patient history and diagnosis information is critical in the development of a comprehensive treatment approach for caregivers.

To request caregiver counseling services, please complete the following:

Counseling Referral Form (pdf)

Community Resources

Community care programs and services vary by state. Explore the links below for additional information on dementia resources, community programs, medical services, long-term care options specific to your area, and more.