Helping Dementia Family Caregivers Make Confident Medical Decisions
Use my process to prepare for what’s likely ahead, create a plan for medical decision-making, and be able to act with confidence when it comes to the medical side of dementia.
I don’t diagnose, treat, or make medical decisions for your person. I teach you how to understand what’s likely to happen and how to think through your options so you can work with your person’s care team now and into the future.
Are You Making Medical Decisions for Someone You Love Who's Living with Dementia?
Navigating this role can be overwhelming, whether you’ve been legally named in a document or find yourself taking on this responsibility alongside other family members. If you’re here, you’re in the right place.
You have an important job, and it’s not easy. But you don’t have to face it alone.
I’m Dr. Brittany Lamb, an emergency medicine physician, and I’ve worked with families like yours — dedicated, stressed, and seeking clarity.
I’m here to help you:
- Prepare for what's ahead with a process so you're ready to make their medical decisions
- Understand your role and how to think through what's likely ahead
- Act with confidence when speaking on your person's behalf
You’re doing the right thing by seeking support.
Let’s work together to ensure you feel informed, prepared, and empowered as their advocate.
In medicine we have a saying,
"You don't know, what you don't know."
Let's uncover what you need to understand before making medical decisions on behalf of your person.
Avoiding reactive "crisis" decisions is what we are working towards.
A plan is how you get there.
A plan is how you get there.
A few of the topics I help caregivers with;
Advance Directives & Medical Order Forms.
Understanding the uses and limitations of these documents, which you can put in place and when.
- DNR (Do-Not-Resuscitate)
- POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment)
- medical POA (Power of Attorney)
- Living Will
Planning for Medical Emergencies.
Medical emergencies are a when not if, situation for a person living with dementia. Have a plan for how you will act as things change. The medical complications of dementia, aging, and chronic diseases (ex: COPD, CHF, atrial fibrillation) are foreseeable, and you can be ready for them.
How to talk to your family.
Perhaps your loved one doesn’t want to weigh in or can’t anymore. Learn ways to approach talking to them and other family members about the future. Have the uncomfortable talks now to avoid more stressful conversation later.
Determining goals of care.
Nurses and doctors will ask you, “What do you want done?” I teach you first how to explore, then communicate what is important to your loved one (even if they can’t directly tell you now). You want to be clear on your person’s goal of care so you can communicate with medical professionals. This is the key to your person receiving the type of care they’d choose for themselves .
How to communicate with your person's care team.
Health care is getting more fast-paced and fragmented every day. Providers helping you make medical decisions have less and less time for meaningful conversation. I teach you how to make those minutes count. Nothing I do is a replacement for your boots on the ground care team, but there is more you need to know to maximize the time you have with them.
How you see yourself in this role.
Let’s face it, if you don’t believe you can do this, you will struggle. Becoming informed is the key to making confident medical decisions. I teach you what you need to know quickly and in plain language.
Medications.
Are there medications your person’s taking that need more discussion with their medical team? We discuss common medication issues like: Which meds might help with the symptoms/behaviors of dementia, side effects or complications that commonly result in ER visits, and what you need to know to advocate for your person.
Create a plan. Speak as their voice. Make the decisions they'd choose themselves.
Each person with dementia has a unique set of symptoms, but the diseases that cause dementia lead to the same result. I teach you what is likely to happen as your person’s disease worsens and how to think through how you’ll act when it does.
About Me
Hi!
I'm Brittany Lamb, an emergency medicine physician, educator & advocate for dementia family caregivers.
When your person with dementia is no longer able to make their own medical decisions, decisions will still come. Choosing what’s best will fall to you.
Good news is the medical issues that come up with dementia, chronic illnesses, and those we commonly develop (simply by aging) are forseeable.
Problem is, most caregivers I work with in the ER have not been educated about this reality or in how things are commonly managed inside the healthcare system.
Simply put, they do not have a plan.
I could talk for hours about why it is not wise to wait until something happens to consider what type of care is best for your person living with dementia.
I see caregivers overwhelmed, paralyzed by fear and guilt.
In the chaotic and hectic moments in the ER they are often unable to make decisions confidently.
I know you are capable of making the best decisions for your person when armed with the knowledge you need to do so.
I will help you take back control and create a plan so you can process decisions, involve your person’s care team, and feel ready to speak as your person’s voice.
Stop spending your time worrying about what is to come. Instead, become educated and informed.
Create a plan for how you will make future medical decisions so you can focus on spending quality time with your loved one and take better care of yourself.
What People Are Saying...
