One of the most helpful tools for caregivers is keeping a diary or journal of their loved one's symptoms. This record can help you better communicate with the person's doctor changes in memory or behavior.

The journal can also help you track caregiving strategies that worked and activities the person enjoys.

For each day you are tracking, note the following:

• Problems or changes in:

  • Memory
  • Behavior
  • Personality

  • Daily living skills (can the person do daily activities, such as bathing or dressing, with no, little or a lot of help?)

• Caregiving strategies that worked? Strategies that did not work?

• Activities the person with dementia enjoys.

• Any medications the person took that day (include prescriptions, over-the-counter and herbal remedies):

  • Medication name
  • Dosage
  • When and how many taken daily