Written by Janie Martin, ForgeWorks educator and consultant
As winter melts into spring, longer and warmer days invite us to notice new growth, embrace fresh opportunities, and renew our minds. If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, this season can also be a gentle reminder: even when the journey feels heavy, small signs of hope and progress are still taking root.
Celebrate new growth. Sometimes it’s hard to think about growth when you feel like you’re losing so much. In those moments, look for the ways you are growing — even quietly. Maybe it’s your increased confidence in caring for your loved one. Maybe it’s the new ways you are learning to support them where they are, today. Growth can also look like setting healthier boundaries, taking restorative breaks, and letting yourself be refueled so you can keep showing up with patience. And sometimes growth is learning to ask for help — and allowing others to walk alongside you on the journey.
Along the way, celebrate small moments of connection as tiny seeds of hope. These moments might include a brief spark of clarity when your loved one recognizes you, a warm squeeze of the hand, or laughter over a shared memory.
As spring encourages us to tend what’s growing, it can also prompt us to nurture our own learning and support systems.
Cultivate the soil of learning. As you walk the dementia journey with a loved one, stay open to learning new things. Some learning will be practical — about care routines, communication and resources. Some learning may simply be for your own growth and development. Either way, don’t neglect yourself.
Fertilize your relationships. Caregiving can be isolating, so prioritize the people who strengthen you — friends, family, neighbors, a support group, faith community or a counselor. Accepting help is not a weakness; it is one way you sustain love over the long haul.
Renew your mind. On a journey of continual change, it’s easy to get bogged down in day-to-day stresses. Commit to renewing your mind daily by viewing each day as a fresh start. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and offer yourself forgiveness for moments you didn’t handle perfectly. Yesterday may have been difficult, but today is a new day. Extend yourself grace and stay willing to try a new approach to support your loved one — one moment at a time.
Discover the joy of the season. Make space to notice spring with your loved one in simple, accessible ways. Sit outside and enjoy the warmer air and familiar sounds — birds chirping, lawnmowers in the distance, children playing. Take a slow drive to watch the earth wake up and begin to bud and flourish. Visit a greenhouse, or choose a gentle path where you can enjoy early blooms. You might even create a small planter together and experience the satisfaction of working in the soil and making something beautiful. If your loved one once enjoyed planting flowers or vegetables, offer opportunities to reconnect with that familiar activity.
Spring as a new beginning. Spring doesn’t erase the hard parts of dementia caregiving — but it does remind us that renewal is still possible. As you notice what is budding outside, look for what is growing within you: resilience, patience, wisdom and love. Keep learning, stay connected to support and allow each day to be a fresh start.
As you step into this season, consider choosing one small, life-giving practice to carry with you — taking a short walk, calling a friend, joining a support group, or asking a family member to sit with your loved one so you can rest. Small steps add up. You don’t have to do everything at once, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Janie brings hands-on experience in providing quality, compassionate nursing care in multiple environments. A licensed practical nurse, Janie is deeply passionate about excellence in person-centered care with a priority focus on the physical, emotional, and spiritual advocacy for people with dementia. Janie was a care partner in her own mother’s journey through dementia, and as a young wife, Janie cared for her husband who suffered cognitive decline due to a brain tumor. These experiences add up to her ability to support from several perspectives. Her certifications include Dementia Practitioner, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, Medication Administration Trainer and Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional. Through ForgeWorks, Janie offers CDP training to professionals and families serving loved ones living with dementia.