Understanding dementia care
For many, it is a privilege and joy to be able to provide dementia care for their loved one. However, looking after older people with dementia can be draining on the entire family.
If someone close to you has been diagnosed with dementia it can have an impact on the whole family. Supporting and caring for a loved one with dementia is extremely rewarding but can also be extremely stressful and, at times, upsetting. Dementia can change a relationship and deeper bonds and unexpected rewards can develop through care which demands a deep-seated level of compassion and acceptance. However, the demands of care can also become gradually more exhausting, physically and emotionally. This is where Comfort Keepers can step in and offer additional support.
We offer a professional and compassionate in-home care service and our care workers are highly trained to provide specialist care for those living with dementia. We are dedicated to preserving the happiness and independence of those suffering with dementia to enable them to stay living in their own homes for as long as is safely possible.
Caring starts with understanding: some handy facts on dementia from the Alzheimer’s Society UK:
What is dementia?
- Dementia describes different brain disorders that trigger a loss of brain function. These conditions are all usually progressive and eventually severe.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 62 per cent of those diagnosed.
- Symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. Dementia is a terminal condition.
Who is affected?
- There are over 800,000 people with dementia in the UK with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2021.
- One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
What about treatments and research?
- There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia. Delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of deaths from the condition, saving 30,000 lives a year.
An adapted care approach: Interactive Caregiving™
In order to provide the highest quality dementia care, at Prestige Nursing + Care, our care workers are specially trained to deliver Interactive Caregiving. Our approach is designed to help the elderly, and specifically those experiencing the symptoms of dementia, keep their brains active and challenged. Mentally-active older people are less likely to develop the disease, and more likely to strengthen their cognitive function. We do things with your loved one, not just for them. This kind of mental engagement helps older people have greater meaning and enjoyment in their lives as well as improving their mental health.
Older people who feel involved and engaged have a higher quality of life – and this is what Prestige Nursing + Care strives for. Through Interactive Caregiving, a range of activities are undertaken, which aim to improve the mental and physical health of those living with dementia. For example:
- Sharing hobbies
- Listening to music and sometimes dancing
- Walking around the neighbourhood
- Browsing through family photo albums
- Putting puzzles together or working on crafts
- Working together on projects around the house
The role of nutrition in dementia
For those with dementia it is particularly important to keep a watchful eye on nutrition. Those living with the disease are more likely to lose weight for a variety of reasons from a lack of appetite, difficulties with co-ordination and cooking, and problems with recognising and communicating hunger.
Prestige Nursing + Care’ Interactive Caregiving makes healthy eating a priority. Our care workers help your loved ones with shopping and cooking, and they share meals together to ensure that they enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
A personal approach
Prestige Nursing + Care prepares a customised care service package that details exactly what type of care each individual requires and how our services can help. Care workers can provide a variety of services: ranging from weekly visits of two hours through to a 24 hour in-home live-in service.
Find out more about how Prestige Nursing + Care could support you and your loved one living with dementia here.
