Planning for the future with dementia
Published: 02/10/2023
A dementia diagnosis can rock your world and make you feel like you’ve been robbed of the future you had planned. While the future might look different, there are ways to make the most of the situation by taking control.
Planning for the future is recommended, as it can help to ease the stress and allow you to make decisions while you are still able to do so. There are practical things to think about, like updating your will and arranging care when the time is right. There are also wellbeing plans to think about, including medical planning and general health and wellbeing planning.
In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of planning for the future with dementia, and how you can make sure you have everything covered before your condition progresses.
Why is future planning important in dementia care?
Future planning is important as dementia will impact your ability to make decisions and plan ahead. If you leave important decisions to the future when your condition has progressed, you might find these decisions more difficult to make.
To ensure nothing is left to chance, you can make plans for the future so that your wishes will be respected, even if you are no longer able to make decisions on your own. It can also give your family confidence that they are supporting you in the best way possible.
What are the care planning goals?
Your care planning goals, sometimes known as a care plan, covers every aspect of your health and wellbeing. This can include medical needs, physical safety, emotional wellbeing, health and fitness and more.
As your condition progresses, your needs may change, so you need to plan for different outcomes. A good care plan will address a number of different potential outcomes, so you can feel confident that every possible eventuality is covered.
Your care plan should include:
- Medical needs, including your preferences for end of life care.
- Living arrangements, including triggers that will indicate you need interventions such as live-in care or moving to a care facility. Where possible, your care plan should focus on keeping you in familiar surroundings in an independent living situation for as long as possible.
- Health and wellbeing. This can address how you will stay active and social.
- Care assessment and risk assessment. The care assessment will look at the support you need while the risk assessment will address issues in your home and surroundings that will need to be addressed.
- Your support network. This will look at who will be there to provide care and support. And how will these people find support when they need it?
- Finances. You will need to determine who will handle your finances if you are unable to.
How can you improve the quality of life for someone with dementia?
Creating a care plan ensures that the person can live with independence and dignity for as long as possible. A dementia diagnosis is a scary prospect, but the care plan will give them reassurance that they will be taken care of in the future. It also ensures that those who will be supporting the individual with dementia can act with confidence and make choices that they know the individual approved of.
A care plan will also address important factors that are often overlooked, including emotional wellbeing and physical health. Staying active and social are essential for those living with dementia, but these factors often get set aside in favour of more practical considerations.
What are the most commonly unmet needs of dementia patients?
Unmet needs can lead to a variety of problems for dementia patients and will also greatly impact their quality of life. One study found that the five most commonly unmet needs for dementia patients includes:
- Loneliness and the need for social contact
- Boredom
- Need for meaningful activity
- Pain
- Discomfort
The purpose of a care plan is to ensure that no needs go unmet, so it’s vital to address these issues when planning for the future. These unmet needs can increase agitation and stress, which will make the condition worse for the patient and make it more difficult for caregivers to complete their role.
How can we help?
We’re experts in developing care plans for those with complex needs. If you’re facing a dementia diagnosis and need to plan for the future, we can help. Our team of expert carers can help you to build a care plan that works for your needs and ensures nothing is left to chance. Get in touch today to learn more about home care with Right at Home.
If you're concerned about a loved one's health or wellbeing, we can arrange a home visit to determine if daily personal care or live-in care could give your loved one the support they need to continue living independently.
If you'd like to explore the possibility of introducing a carer or even a simple companionship visit to your home, get in touch with our friendly team today. We care for people in Camden, Hampstead, Golders Green and surrounding areas.
Our friendly and supportive team can be reached by calling on 0203 921 1111 or by emailing us at camden.hampstead@rightathome.co.uk
