Working part-time whilst caring for her mother who was diagnosed with dementia, Mdm Vara was lost and in a state of confusion. She had no idea how to manage her mother’s behaviour – she often repeated her questions and forgot things easily. In her search for help, she was referred to REACH Senior by Bukit Batok Polyclinic. 

At REACH, she shared her concerns about being a first-time caregiver who didn’t know much about dementia, as well as horror stories from her colleagues. The Caregiver Support Group gave her ideas on how she could manage her mother’s symptoms and learnt from discussions with other caregivers. 

With help from the CREST team and support group, Mdm Vara adapted to her mother’s changes and became more patient with her. She sees caregiving as her turn to take care of her mother as her mother cared for her when she was younger.