Lorena Diaz, LMSW, is a Licensed Master Social Worker with more than 25 years of experience providing therapy in a wide range of mental health settings. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to empowering individuals and families as they navigate life’s many transitions—offering compassionate support through mental health and caregiving challenges, grief, and relationship difficulties.
In her new role with Oakwood Creative Care, Lorena is honored to walk alongside adults and their families through a joy-centered approach to brain health. Oakwood’s mission—to help individuals living with dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke recovery, and other age-related challenges rediscover purpose, dignity, and connection—deeply resonates with her own therapeutic values.
In recognition of World Mental Health Day, Lorena reflects on the vital role of emotional well-being throughout the dementia journey—for both those experiencing cognitive changes and the loved ones who care for them.
Prioritizing Mental Health Isn’t Selfish… It’s Essential
World Mental Health Day, recognized globally by the World Health Organization, reminds us that mental health is just as important as physical health—especially for families living with dementia.
For caregivers, the journey can be both deeply meaningful and incredibly demanding. Balancing love, loss, exhaustion, and constant change can take quite a toll on emotional well-being. Many caregivers describe feeling guilty for needing a break or even feeling hesitant to ask for help. Yet, caring for your own mental health isn’t selfish—it’s essential. When caregivers receive support, everyone benefits.
The Capacity to Love & Be Loved Endures
For those living with cognitive decline, maintaining mental health means feeling seen, heard, and valued beyond the diagnosis. Even as memory and language change, emotional connection remains powerful. Simple moments of joy, routine, and reassurance can make a world of difference. When care focuses on the heart as much as the mind, it nurtures a sense of safety and belonging that transcends memory loss. These moments remind us that while abilities may change, the capacity to love and be loved endures.
The Hub Is A Safe Space For Everyone’s Mental Health
At The Hub, we recognize that dementia care involves both hearts and minds. Through mental health services and caregiver support sessions, we create a safe space to talk through the grief, stress, and love that come with this journey. Together, we focus on resilience, self-compassion, and tools that bring calm into the chaos.
By nurturing emotional well-being alongside practical care, we help families find strength in connection and meaning in even the smallest moments. It’s in these shared experiences that hope and healing begin to take root.
You don’t have to walk this path alone.
If you or someone you love could use support, reach out to The Hub to learn more about our mental health component, Resilient Together.
