1. Be grateful that you have received a diagnosis of FTD. I am wholeheartedly convinced that there are many people who are living tumultuous lives, not knowing what is going on within their homes with their loved ones. In addition, and as many in this room can attest, there are often misdiagnosis along the way.
2. Together with your family, make a conscious decision to embrace or to positively accept the diagnosis. This is not an automatic decision; it requires much introspection and strength. In short, be prepared to redefine your identity and attach new meaning and purpose to who you are and the person you will be for both your family and your loved one. And here, I can only say that educating oneself as much as possible in the world of FTD is absolutely essential.
3. The diagnosis date is both a blessing and a curse. Therefore, be sure to set your health priorities as follows:
1. You as caregiver
2. Your children
3. Your spouse (and here I make the assumption they are getting some form of care as per the diagnosis)I used to think the correct order was children, spouse, then me. But I soon realized that if I'm not well, the house of cards crumble. In addition, be conscious of the fact that your loved one will show signs of anosognosia (lack of insight or awareness as to what is clinically going on as a result of the diagnosis).  In short, be prepared to practice "tough love" and adopt the mantra, "To do what is best for you and your family."
4.  Perhaps the hardest lesson for me was the following - surround or immerse yourself in the realm of the positive. For me, this was a conscious decision made far into the journey. And it has paid dividends for my own mental health. As humans, we too often dwell and hold onto the negative in our lives. By focussing on the positive, we keep the main health player named above (i.e., the caregiver) in a sound state of mind.
5.  Following on the heels of goal 4 is the 5^th goal - learning to let go. By this I mean to forgive, to make peace, to be flexible and even expect the unexpected. It may even mean that we have to lower our expectations so that we won't be disappointed and thus turn negative. Here, I believe one has to foster an attitude of both humbleness and humility.  This also means saying yes to peoples' offer to help us out in our unique circumstances. Thus, "put pride aside." It may also mean learning to let go of priorities we once attached supreme importance to, things such as our jobs, household work, etc... Remember, our task is one of mere survival! Thus, learn to let things go that aren't essential to your overall well-being.
6.  Be gentle with yourself. Be aware of pitfalls in your life that can and will take you down. Instead, turn the focus towards getting proper rest, improving your diet, more exercise, and even reading a book or two. Carrying the stress of being caregiver, parent and breadwinner never leaves enough time for self. Remember, if you're not well, the house of cards fall. Seeking professional help by way of a psychologist or support group (both for self and family members) can be of great assistance when trying to stay the course along this difficult journey.
7. Following on the last step, we need to remind ourselves that we are human, not superheroes. Experiencing a wide range of emotions, both good and bad, is perfectly normal. I know there have been too many times (especially on account of a lack of sleep) where I have not acted in a manner I should have towards both Lisa and my children. Again, the practice of humility can go a long way when we are open and honest in our relationships. Being able to talk about our difficulties surrounding the disease is imperative if we are going to embrace it in its fullest sense.  This includes allowing ourselves to have moments of weakness. As an example - pilgrimage (older couples holding hands).
8. Get in touch with your spiritual side, whatever form this may take. Let it guide you and strengthen you for the journey which lays ahead. For me, it has been my Roman Catholic faith. From it, I have come to "slowly" learn the meaning and value of redemptive suffering.
9. Advocacy as a way of coping - as a family, consciously decide how you will "put on the boxing gloves" and face FTD head-on. Things like entering a team in the Alzheimer Society's annual "Walk for Memories" fundraiser or launching a "Food for Thought event" in your own community can quickly make a glass which appears half empty, half full.
10. Finally, permit yourself to look into the future. By this I mean a time, down the road, where life will afford us a chance to see its fullness, where we won't be caught up in the daily world and struggles of FTD. Moments like these can offer us that renewed sense of hope that is so often lacking amidst the turbulent waters of a loved one's FTD diagnosis. They are also gentle reminders that we are called to act tenderly and love greatly those who are dearest to us in the here and now.

In summary, there are no easy solutions or textbook answers for how to navigate the immensely difficult world of FTD. However, what we do know is that we can make choices. By choosing to accept, even embrace, an FTD diagnosis, we will be showing the world that caregiving need not be viewed as a burden, but rather a journey borne out of love. And, within that journey, we ourselves might even come to find a deep sense of peace. 

These comments are excerpted from Finding Peace Amongst the Turmoil and Strife of an FTD Diagnosis - The lesson of Acceptance OR The Journey Forward, Not Downward, title of the talk caregiver Matthew Dineen gave as part of the Caregiver Panel at the 9th International Conference on FTD, held in October in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. To link to presentation decks from the Caregiver Program and comments from the Caregiver Panel, click here.