Dementia Homecare v Dementia Care in a Care Home

This Blog looks at some of the ways both Domiciliary Care providers, like Right at Home Solent, and Care Homes in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton and New Forest East, help support those living with Dementia.

Dementia Care at Home

The advantages of being cared for at home are boundless; it allows one to remain in their own home, with their familiar surroundings, while keeping their independence for as long as possible. At Right at Home Solent, we are proud to support families living in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East, from the comfort of their home. We have some excellent CareGivers across the South Coast, and they provide a premium-quality level of Homecare.

Some people don't know that Homecare exists; for many, they think that going into a Care Home is the only option. But for those that know what Homecare is about, they choose to stay in their home for as long as possible; and for those who have been diagnosed with Dementia, this is still the case, and that’s where we come in. We often find that by caring for individuals living with Dementia from the comfort of their own homes, we are proud to provide Next of Kin’s with peace of mind, knowing that their loved one is able to stay at home, whilst receiving the highest standards of Dementia Care.

Our Dementia Support Programme

In 2022, we launched our Dementia Support Programme (follow the link for more information!), which has been a massive success. After assessing the clients, we create a personalised, tailor-made care plan for our Dementia Specialists to follow; it is completely based on their persons individual, Dementia needs and their personal interests and hobbies. Our Dementia Specialists are recruited and specially trained, in-house, purely to support and care for individuals living with Dementia. Our Dementia Care allows those who are in the earlier-stages of the condition to remain at home, and receive minimal support, however, their care plan is completely bespoke and tailored to them, their support needs and their interests.

Our Dementia Support Programme is there to help build confidence and create opportunities for social interaction with our dementia clients, which is again, completely tailored to their interests and the progression of their dementia. Since starting the programme, we have seen significant progress with our clients living with dementia; of course, we know there is no cure for dementia, but the Dementia Support Programme has proved to slow down the progression of the condition, and allows them to live a better quality of life. Check out our Dementia Support Programme on our website for more information, just follow this link! - https://bit.ly/3yw2jld

Summary

Although there are many positives to someone living with dementia staying at home; we understand that caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, depending on the person and the how their condition progresses. It is expected that as dementia progresses, the individual will need more care and support than before, and there may come a time when they need to move into a care home full-time. But until that time comes, we support those living with dementia to stay in their familiar surroundings, until they choose to go into a care home, or until it is unsafe or difficult for them to remain at home.

Dementia Care in a Care Home 

(Written by Chris Roby at The Care Whisperer) 

In a similar way to the Dementia Specialist, most care homes will provide dementia care in a person-centred way. This enables staff to better understand the person by having knowledge of their hobbies and interests, and perhaps their working life, which helps tailor activities. This approach is probably the same for the other types of care being provided by the home, so what makes dementia care different?

Staffing Ratio's

Dementia care in care homes can come in different forms, but most importantly it is provided in a secure environment where additional staff are required. The need for additional staff stems from the care needs and behaviours of the residents who live there, with the ratios usually running around 1:4 or 1:5. These ratio’s are higher than you will find in a purely residential setting, which would normally run at around 1:7, and is of course different from the role of the Dementia Specialist which is provided on a 1-1 basis in the persons own home.

Staff Training

Like the Dementia Specialist role, staff within a dementia setting are provided with additional training to help them better understand dementia. For example, it is often suggested that staff shouldn’t necessarily correct someone who is living with dementia, because in their world what they are saying holds true, and so disagreeing with them can sometimes cause further confusion. Staff are also more aware of the impact dementia has on a person’s memory and decision making. Again, an example could be the use of show plates in the dining room, where a person is shown different plates of food rather than asked what they want to order from a menu, thus supporting the person to remain independent for as long as possible.

Conclusion

Sadly, Dementia Care, whether that's at home, or in a Care Home, can be a long journey for the individual and for their family, sometimes surpassing 15 years, which progressively gets more difficult. By getting a diagnosis, making use of community support groups, Domiciliary Care Companies (like us at Right at Home Solent) and Care homes, the person can receive the care they need whilst the carer(s) can take breaks to recover their strength.

Having Care provided in one’s home keeps the person in comfortable, familiar surroundings and is provided on a 1-1 basis, a ratio that care homes cannot match. However, Care Homes do also provide stimulating environments of their own, and both set ups will have staffed trained to understand not only the person, but also their Dementia.

What's Next?

If you'd like to check our Chris' Blogs over at The Care Whisperer, please follow this link here: thecarewhisperer.co.uk/

If you'd like to enquire about Dementia Homecare for yourself, or a loved one, please check out our Dementia Support Programme page here: https://bit.ly/3ZivLWK or you can call our friendly team on 01329 233755 for more information!