Caring Through Chaos: A New Lifeline for Dementia Caregiver

Celebrating our newest book and the caregivers who inspired it.

Today was a special day. Ruth and I had the honor of launching our newest book, Caring Through Chaos: Notebook for Dementia Caregivers, at the Northern Virginia Dementia Care Consortium 2025—a gathering dedicated to dementia caregiver support, essential caregiving resources, and innovative person-centered dementia care.

As we stood among family caregivers, nurses, social workers, and memory-care professionals, I was reminded once again how profoundly difficult—and profoundly meaningful—the caregiving journey is. Every caregiver who stopped at our table carried a story. Many carried heartbreak. All carried love.

Why This Book Matters to Dementia Caregivers

Caring Through Chaos was created from one core belief: people living with dementia remain fully themselves, even as memory and communication shift. They deserve to be known deeply and cared for with dignity.

Caregivers told us:

·       “I wish everyone understood who my loved one really is.”

·       “I need one place to keep all the important information.”

·       “I want care teams to know them as a person, not just a diagnosis.”

This notebook is our answer—a practical, human-centered tool that strengthens caregiver organization, reduces stress, and preserves personhood.

A Tool to Preserve Personhood and Improve Dementia Care

Inside the notebook, caregivers can document essential details that support dementia care planning, communication, and daily caregiving, including:

·       favorite foods, music, routines, and sensory comforts

·       meaningful life stories and traditions

·       communication cues and emotional patterns

·       what brings calm and what may trigger distress

·       beloved pets, places, and activities

·       cultural background and spiritual needs

When caregivers share this information with respite staff, adult-day programs, home aides, or memory-care facilities, it becomes an invaluable communication bridge.

When you can’t be there, this notebook speaks for you.

A Resource for Home Caregivers and Professional Care Teams

Caring Through Chaos offers dementia care tips and practical structure that support:

·       overwhelmed home caregivers

·       family members sharing care duties

·       professional teams in memory-care settings

·       adult-day programs and community support services

Its flexibility makes it accessible.Its humanity makes it essential.

A Celebration of Dementia Caregivers

Launching this book at NVDCC 2025 felt deeply fitting. This conference has long been a place where caregivers gather for education, connection, and the simple reassurance that they are not alone.

If you’re a caregiver—or love someone on this journey—we hope this notebook becomes a steady companion. A place to breathe, reflect, and remember the joy and dignity that still live within the chaos.

Caring Through Chaos is more than a notebook.It is a lifeline.A bridge between caregivers, care teams, and the people they love.

About the Authors

Barbara J. Huelat and Ruth Shea, LCSW-C are co-authors of Caring Through Chaos and co-founders of the Taming the Chaos of Dementia Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting dementia caregivers, expanding caregiver education, and creating practical dementia caregiver resources. They bring decades of experience in dementia caregiving, clinical social work, healing design, and person-centered care to all their work.

Explore more caregiver tools, books, and programs at www.tamingthechaosofdementia.org