What is Dementia Care?

A dementia diagnosis is life-changing, not just for the individual, but for the whole family. Early stages can be very gradual and often easily managed at home. However, dementia is unfortunately a very progressive condition.

Care facilities can provide specialised dementia care that will support the individual through this progression. This is tailored care that assists with day-to-day needs and adapts to this shifting condition.

What Does Dementia Care Assist With?

Dementia care is a mix of clinical care and general residential support. Many neurological and physical changes occur during dementia progression that can be extremely difficult to deal with individually.

Confusion is a huge issue for someone who is independent. Losing track of time can be a serious problem when taking medications. This can even affect your ability to wash, dress, and do simple chores. Managing your health and your home whilst navigating this confusion can be incredibly difficult and scary. Dementia care will assist individuals in managing their time, medication and daily chores through gentle reminders and scheduled assistance that will not create more distress and confusion.

Some people with dementia also develop weight loss and dehydration. When confusion affects their conception of time, eating and drinking can easily become forgotten. By having scheduled meal times and prepared food tailored to specific nutritional needs or weight gain, this side effect can easily be avoided.

Dementia can also have much more intense behavioural and psychological effects. This is more broadly known as BPSD, or Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia, which affects around 90% of dementia sufferers. BPSD can include:

• Increased agitation.
• Increased aggression.
• Delusions and hallucinations.
• Sleep disturbances.
• Pacing or wandering.
• Repetitive speech.
• Shouting.
• Appetite disturbances.
• Increased anxiety and depression.

Trained dementia specialists will be able to de-escalate these behavioural episodes in a safe and comforting way. “Sundowning” refers to the increased anxiety and behaviours that many dementia sufferers experience in the evening. A care facility will have a scheduled way to prevent this issue from affecting its dementia residents as much as possible.

Residential Dementia Care

Residential care supports residents with daily living tasks. It is ideal for those who are mostly independent but require assistance with chores such as washing, dressing, cooking and managing their medication.

Regarding dementia care, residential options are tailored for those in the early to mid-stages of dementia. They may be physically mobile without additional health issues, but it is no longer safe for them to live alone. This care will mainly focus on:

• Structured routines. Maintaining a predictable routine of meals, activities and sleep times can significantly help with confusion. By doing so, there will be a noticeable reduction in stress and anxiety surrounding simple daily tasks.
• Assisted independence. Staff will gently assist with tasks rather than doing them for the resident. Using easy-to-navigate layouts with visual cues around the home will also assist residents in maintaining independence. This makes a huge difference in preventing the progression of BPSD.
• Social stimulation. Care homes will prioritise activities that purposefully slow cognitive decline. This includes memory games, arts and crafts, animal therapy, and daily social interactions with staff and other residents. By implementing this through fun games, this care is disguised and therefore causes less stress.

Some of our homes feature a resident’s kitchenette, which brings a sense of normalcy. Simple tasks such as making their own cup of tea will make a huge difference in fighting against the symptoms and progression of dementia.

At White Rose House, Claremont House, Castle Grange and Southfield Court, we have a team of dementia specialised care assistants. They provide exceptional care that fights against the progression and symptoms of dementia.

Nursing Dementia Care

Nursing care supports residents with complex medical needs alongside residential assistance. It is ideal for those with high-dependency needs, physical disabilities, or chronic illnesses. This care will manage medical needs, provide close monitoring of unstable health conditions, and provide quick medical responses with a 24-hour team of qualified nurses.

For those with mid to late stages of dementia, or those who also suffer from additional complex physical illnesses, nursing dementia care will be required. In these homes, specific clinical help will be provided for:

• 24-hour oversight. In a nursing home, there will be a team of qualified nurses available 24 hours a day. They will understand how dementia interacts with other medical conditions and will be able to assist in psychiatric and medical issues.
• Medication management. Dementia can cause intense confusion, which can make managing medication timings very difficult and sometimes lead to people refusing medication. A nurse will be able to assist with a medical schedule that reduces confusion and ensures the resident is receiving the medicine required for their various conditions.
• Mobility support. Nursing care will provide full physical assistance for those who can no longer move around independently.
• Pain management. Nursing care homes will have specialised clinical tools for pain management across a variety of conditions. For those with reduced communication abilities, the nurses will be trained in identifying pain and progression even in residents who struggle with communication.

At Southfield Court, we have a 24-hour team of dementia specialised nurses who provide exceptional care for those with complex dementia.

Key Differences

Supporting Your Loved One With Dementia

Due to dementia’s progressive nature, a person’s needs can change over time. If you have decided that a residential dementia home is the correct care for your loved one, it may be worth planning for the future. Although some homes are exclusively residential or nursing homes, it’s a good idea to research dual-registered homes when it comes to dementia care.

Although your loved one may be in the early stages of dementia and still mostly independent, unfortunately, this may worsen. By planning and choosing a home with nursing facilities available, you can make the progression of this condition much easier to deal with. Remaining in a familiar home with the same friends and staff will make dementia progression a lot simpler to understand.

Our home, Southfield Court, provides both specialised residential and nursing care for residents with dementia. If you are concerned about the worsening of your loved one’s dementia and are looking for some advice, please get in touch with our team today.