(Opinion) The support I wish every dementia caregiver had

Seacoast Dementia Hub provides community support for at-home caregivers

Justine Vogel

HEALTH CARE

By: Justine Vogel

For over 30 years, I have worked in senior living. I have spent my career working with older adults, families, caregivers and specialists who understand the complexities of aging.

And yet, when dementia became part of my own family’s story, I was humbly reminded: Experience does not eliminate the need for guidance.

My father lives in New Jersey, and his wife is in the early stages of dementia. Like many families, we are doing well in some ways and facing questions in others. What is happening? What comes next? What should we do now to prepare for later? How do we approach support in a way that feels helpful rather than threatening?

Even with my experience, I realized I needed guidance to think through the next steps of caregiving: how best to support my father, what changes lay ahead, and how to prepare before a crisis forced the conversation. Grounded, compassionate help is precisely what families like mine need — and too often, is hard to find.

That is why bringing the Seacoast Dementia Hub to life is so meaningful to me and to RiverWoods.

The Hub did not begin as a River-Woods idea. It began in 2021, when Seacoast caregivers with lived experience connected with regional experts after recognizing a growing gap in support for families navigating dementia. They envisioned a community-based resource offering practical guidance and emotional support at no cost to caregivers.

RiverWoods is honored that they trusted us to help bring that vision to life.

The Seacoast Dementia Hub supports caregivers of people living with dementia in Strafford and Rockingham County.

Its vision is straightforward: a community where caregivers are supported, connected and understood. Its goal is to provide accessible resources, education, emotional support, disease navigation and advocacy so caregivers can improve their own quality of life while providing the best possible care for loved ones.

New Hampshire is one of the oldest states in the country, which means more families are facing and likely to face the challenges of dementia caregiving every day. Dementia is not a single disease but a broad term that includes Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and other conditions. Across the Seacoast, many people living with dementia remain at home, relying heavily on caregivers for daily support.

Caregivers are our employees, colleagues, neighbors and friends. AARP’s 2025 research found seven in 10 family caregivers are employed while also managing emotional, financial and practical strain.

For dementia caregivers, stress can be especially intense. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 59% of dementia caregivers experience high to very high emotional stress. Dementia changes more than memory; it alters relationships, routines, finances and future plans.

Loved ones may suddenly find themselves managing medications, safety, finances, care needs and difficult behaviors with little training or support.

That is the gap the Seacoast Dementia Hub is trying to fill.

Under the leadership of Ashley Seinen, the Hub provides practical, individualized support. Caregivers can reach out with questions and, at no cost, receive guidance about disease progression, support groups, in-home services, planning resources, adult day programs and local supports. The Hub is not trying to replace existing organizations. It is designed to connect people to them, make resources easier to navigate and help families understand what questions to ask next.

Since launching on September 2, 2025, the Hub has supported 58 caregivers across 21 towns, provided 174 service deliveries or referrals, and participated in 15 awareness and education events. The requested support reflects the need: support groups, navigation, therapy, planning and adult day programs.

These are not abstract needs. They are the practical decisions families face every day, challenges that affect families, workplaces and health outcomes.

The Seacoast Dementia Hub is grant-funded, with major support from the Foundation for Seacoast Health and additional grants from Granite United Way and the Seacoast Women’s Giving Circle. That support allows services to be offered at no cost to caregivers and reflects a shared commitment to meeting this need before families are overwhelmed.

At RiverWoods, we often talk about what it means to serve all older adults well. Sometimes that means providing a residential community. Sometimes it means supporting people who will never live with us, but who need our experience, relationships and infrastructure.

The Seacoast Dementia Hub is an example of that broader responsibility.

As my family has experienced, dementia can be isolating, confusing and frightening. Caregivers should not have to navigate it alone. The Seacoast Dementia Hub offers a place to start, a person to call and a community that understands.

Caregivers can reach the Seacoast Dementia Hub at 603-280-4217, or learn more at www.seacoastdementiahub.org.

Justine Vogel is the president and CEO of the RiverWoods Group.