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Dementia Situation Navigator

Real caregiving moments, one at a time. Search for what you're facing right now, and you'll find what may be happening, what to say, what not to say, and when it's time to call for help, all built on the Steadier Ground Method.

R
Read — understand the behavior
R
Reach — connect in the moment
S
Steady — hold your ground underneath it all
N
Notice — catch what's happening, in you and over time

7 of 27 situations built. New guides are added regularly, built from real training experience, not a generic checklist.

Trust & Memory

When the same question, or the same suspicion, keeps returning.

He keeps asking the same questionRead Guide She accuses me of stealingRead Guide
She's suspicious of everyone, not just about theftComing Soon
He forgets he already ate and asks to eat againComing Soon

Daily Care & Routine

The everyday tasks that can become the hardest flashpoints.

She refuses to showerRead Guide
He refuses to change clothes or wear anything cleanComing Soon
She resists using the bathroomComing Soon
She won't take her medicationComing Soon
He won't eat, or refuses mealsComing Soon

Night & Disorientation

When the day's structure falls away and the world stops feeling familiar.

She's up all night / sundowningRead Guide He wants to go home, but he is homeRead Guide
She doesn't recognize meComing Soon
He's suddenly much more confused than usualComing Soon
She thinks her deceased spouse is still aliveComing Soon

Safety & Aggression

Moments where physical safety comes first, for both of you.

He gets aggressive, hits, or pushes during careRead Guide
She's trying to leave the houseComing Soon
He wanders even inside the houseComing Soon

Intimacy & Disinhibition

Rarely discussed elsewhere, handled here with dignity for everyone in the room.

He makes sexual comments or touches me inappropriatelyRead Guide
She undresses or touches herself in publicComing Soon
He says offensive or startlingly blunt things in publicComing Soon

Emotional Moments

When the feeling is clear but the words, or the trigger, aren't.

He gets frustrated and can't find his wordsComing Soon
She cries with no apparent triggerComing Soon
He responds to one caregiver but fights anotherComing Soon

Family & Relationships

Dementia changes the family around the person too.

My siblings won't helpComing Soon
One sibling does everything and resents the othersComing Soon
My spouse won't accept the diagnosisComing Soon
The grandchildren are scared or confused around herComing Soon

Want the full picture, not just the moment?

The free guide walks through the first two weeks after diagnosis. The course goes deeper, with five modules built around three families navigating exactly this.

Situation guides on this page reflect clinically accepted dementia care practice and Matt Field's professional experience training care staff and families across Chicago-area senior living communities. They are practical guidance, not a substitute for medical advice specific to your situation. New situations are added regularly. Last reviewed August 2026.