When we think of the term “care partner,” we often picture someone who physically helps a person with their daily needs. Caregiving from a distance for a person living with dementia is still an important role involving time, energy, and resources. We’ll discuss possible challenges, how to provide support, and tips for staying connected.

Challenges of Caregiving from a Distance

Long-distance care partners experience unique challenges in their role such as:

Being limited to communication via phone or email can cause important details to be missed or misunderstood.
Communication barriers due to the symptoms of the person’s disease, such as memory loss, disorientation, and changes in hearing.
Coordinating with the local network of care from afar can be a hurdle, especially if there is any conflict or strain.
The long-distance care partner might have limited authority to intervene in matters of the person’s care.
The long-distance care partner may struggle with feelings of guilt over “not doing enough” or missing important events.

It is important for long-distance care partners to engage in self-care and take time to rest and recharge to maintain their wellbeing.

Supporting Local Care Partners

Even from afar, long-distance care partners can help local care partners in many ways. When offering support, remember to acknowledge one’s own limitations. Ask what would be most helpful to the local care partner. Here are some additional tips:

Offer support in ways that align with individual strengths (e.g. handling bills if good with finances).
Help the local care partner get a break by finding time to visit or arranging respite/in home care.
Seek out education and training to be able to share with the local care partner.
Research local resources and coordinate services for the local care partner.

How to find local community resources

Another important way to help is to identify local resources such as care options and legal help. Here are some tips to find resources in the community of the person living with dementia:

Check if the community has a resource center for dementia like Alzheimer’s San Diego.
Contact local senior centers and libraries.
Search for the closest Area Agency on Aging, which can provide information and referrals. These can be found through the national Eldercare Locator.

Staying Connected

Information needs for long distance care partners

To be able to help manage the person’s care, long-distance care partners need access to information like appointments and health status, financials, household activity, and general well-being. Using a family calendar or dedicated website for sharing updates can help keep everyone in the loop. Arranging powers of attorney, HIPAA waivers, bank account signatory, and other documents is also important to access needed information. Consult with an elder law attorney to learn more.

Tips for planning visits

Visits are an important way to stay involved. Here are some tips to help make visits go smoothly:

Ask the local care partner what they need and if there is anything new to be prepared for
Set realistic goals about what can be accomplished during the visit
Remember to enjoy quality time with the person along with managing care tasks

Technology resources

Though visits are valuable, they are not always feasible. Luckily, modern technology can fill in the gaps. Here are some examples of products and devices that can help manage the person’s care from afar:

Emergency response systems
Automated check-in calls
Wearable activity trackers
Automated pill dispensers
Health monitors
Fall detectors
Communication assistance tools

For personalized dementia support, call us at 858.492.4400 to speak with one of our Dementia Care Coaches who are here to help San Diego County residents and/or those caring for someone living in San Diego County (Spanish speakers available). Also check out our free education classes, social activities, caregiver support groups, & more.

Updated on July 6th, 2026 / Published in 2024