Dementia Care

Our homes specialise in caring for residents who are living with dementia and our teams are continually undertaking dementia-focused training to ensure we are delivering the best care.

There are many types of dementia, which is a broad term used to describe symptoms linked to a decline in cognitive abilities which can impact a person’s capacity to care for themselves appropriately. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common types of dementia, but there is also Lewy Body dementia, vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms can affect a person’s memory, thinking, reasoning, and communication skills. It is a hugely debilitating disease that can cause a lot of distress to the individual and their loved ones. Working with dementia patients therefore requires great compassion, patience, and understanding.

As a home specialising in dementia care, we approach caring for residents in several ways:

Person-centred care

We can best support our residents by having knowledge of their life story, their hobbies and interests, and the people who have been, and are, important to them. With knowledge of a person’s history, we can engage in conversations that may stimulate their memory and bring them comfort, and we can offer prompts and encouragement if we know what helps them to focus. With our care planning system, we monitor all aspects of our resident’s health including nutrition, hydration, and weight, and record any other symptoms or conditions that may develop. Working in partnership with our residents, their families and their healthcare professionals is essential so that we can offer a completely holistic approach to residents’ health and wellbeing, and adopt a proactive approach to ongoing care, particularly where dementia is present.

Staff training and education

We provide comprehensive and ongoing dementia training to staff to ensure we are delivering the most appropriate care to residents who have the condition. Training includes understanding dementia, communication techniques, managing challenging behaviour, and promoting dignity and empathy. We place great emphasis on continuous education and upskilling our teams so that we are informed of current best practice and guidance, and equipped to deliver the most appropriate mental, physical, and emotional support to residents.

Safety and environment

Our aim with our homes and grounds is to maintain a homely, calm, and comfortable environment. We have an ongoing refurbishment plan that incorporates upgrades, repairs, and improvements to ensure there is a consistent focus on achieving the desired look and feel of the homes. We incorporate additional items such as clear, dementia-friendly signage, movement sensors, and exit door alarms to aid orientation and provide timely support to residents.

Daily routine and structure

To support residents who are living with dementia, we have established a consistent daily routine which helps to build familiarity and lessens anxiety, particularly for new residents. We also keep residents frequently informed about daily activities and upcoming events so they are aware in advance of what is happening in the home. Choice and enablement are a priority when providing care support, so residents are always involved in deciding when and where they would like to take their meals, and which activities they would like to enjoy in the home. We seek to support those who find decision-making difficult by offering prompts and encouragement.

Communication and engagement

We hold regular residents’ meetings and frequently request feedback and suggestions to ensure we are delivering what our residents want with regards to meals, activities, and the flowers and plants we grow in the gardens. We also hold several family and friends meetings throughout the year, both in person and virtually, to update and involve residents’ loved ones in what’s going on in our homes. We offer several channels of communication – phone, email, Facebook, and the Relatives Gateway, which is a secure messaging system within our care planning software – so that we are always available and responsive to families and healthcare professionals.

If you would like more information or an informal chat,
please contact us to arrange a call or visit.

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