Dementia is a loss of cognitive function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, and behavior. As populations age, caring for people with dementia has become more common. Elderly caregiving may consist of formal care and informal care.
Dementia is caused by damage to the brain. It usually affects the brain cortex (the ‘thinkingbit’). Damage increases over time, which makes the symptoms get worse but every person is different, and symptoms will progress at a different rate for each individual.
Typically, symptoms include memory problems, communication difficulties, and difficulty carrying out everyday activities.
Currently, there is no cure for dementia. However, charities like Alzheimer’s Society are funding research into treatments. There are also drugs available to help slow the onset of certain Dementia types.
There are more than 100 types of dementia. Alzheimer’s is the most common. More than60% of people with dementia have Alzheimer’s.
Different types of dementia affect different parts of the brain. Because each part of the brain has its own job, like dealing with speech or memory, symptoms vary depending on the typeof dementia a person has.
People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble making sense of orientation, place and time, for example. Those with Lewy body dementia may become aggressive, and need regular reassurance, as they can quickly become confused and disorientated.
Because their brains are damaged, they lose their most recent memories.
They are reliving times past. In their minds, they may be the person they were 20 years ago –or they may be even younger.
They may have trouble understanding the modern world. They might not understand concepts which seem normal to us, but were unfamiliar years ago. Modern appliances, slang and behaviour may be confusing to them.
For the person living with dementia, this can be confusing, frightening and embarrassing.They may no longer recognize people, even family members. This doesn’t mean they’ve stopped loving them. They may start using offensive language, or talking about things they’ve never mentioned before.
There are more than 100 types of dementia. Alzheimer’s is the most common. More than60% of people with dementia have Alzheimer’s.
Different types of dementia affect different parts of the brain. Because each part of the brain has its own job, like dealing with speech or memory, symptoms vary depending on the typeof dementia a person has.
People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble making sense of orientation, place and time, for example. Those with Lewy body dementia may become aggressive, and need regular reassurance, as they can quickly become confused and disorientated.
Dementia can seriously affect the sense of sight. People with Dementia may have a very limited field of vision – they may ‘see out of pinpricks’. They may also have physical disabilities which limit the amount they can see
Because their short-term memory is affected, it’s easy for people with Dementia to forget you’re there if they can’t see you.
People with dementia might act in ways which aren’t considered socially or morally acceptable. This isn’t because they want to hurt people’s feelings, or because they ‘don’t care’. Often, the part of the brain which deals with social interaction is damaged by dementia.This means they’re no longer aware of what’s acceptable in social situations – they lose their‘social filter’. They may say what’s on their mind without considering the consequences, ordo things in public which are deemed socially unacceptable. Try not to let this get in the way of your loved one living the life they want to lead.
These are times when the person with Dementia realizes something’s not right. These moments can be very distressing for them. Lucid moments can occur at any time, but be comerarer as time goes on. The best thing you can do is provide care and reassurance.
There are a number of reasons why someone with Dementia might refuse meals, or even lose their appetite completely. It’s important to remember there’s always a reason behind this.One reason could be that they’re living in the past. Their food preferences may have changed,because they might have ‘forgotten’ they like certain foods. Your loved one’s tastes in food will likely be consistent with the ‘age they’re living in’. After all, how many of us can say we like the same foods now as when we were teenagers? By talking to your loved one and discovering why they’re not eating, you can determine whether the problem is serious.
People with dementia need to have their privacy and dignity respected at all times. Don’t assume your loved one won’t feel embarrassed or upset because they have dementia.
It’s especially important to maintain eye contact and talk to people when helping with personal care.
Remember that people with dementia might no longer understand how modern technology works, or even what it is. This is true of showers, lavatories and other bathroom items, as well as computers and televisions. They may need to be shown how to use these conveniences on a daily basis.
Often, people with dementia experience disturbed sleep patterns. This puts them at risk of trips and falls, and disturbs the sleep of others in the house.
Sleep disturbances can be caused by noise, sickness, nightmares, delusions, hallucinations,wet clothing, and lots of other things.
If your loved one walks around at night, it’s important to find out why. Give them ‘space to think’, ask them why they’re awake, and take steps to rectify the problem.
You may find that your loved one is having difficulty recalling past memories, family members or life events. To support them you can help communicate with them through their identity – like their background, hobbies, interests and who is important to them.
As their condition deteriorates and they progress through the stages of dementia, your love done may need an increased amount of support. However, through still involving them in their everyday tasks, you will allow them to feel useful and may alleviate any negative feelings regarding their self-worth. At Angelus Homecare, we stay up to date with all dementia research and dementia nursing processes to ensure that we are a dementia friendly organization. We always strive to stay on top of all developments to provide the best possible care and support we can.
The longer people stay fit and healthy for, the better quality of life they have. This is because if someone has an unhealthy diet, they can be susceptible to illnesses which can increase the effects of dementia and cause further confusion and agitation. Encouraging a person with dementia to exercise may be difficult at times, however the benefits are worth it. We have prepared a dementia guide that will act as a care assistant to your loved one – covering risk factors, cost of care, dementia news, types of care available such as nursing care and elderly care, the advantages of providing dementia care in UK homes and so much more.
Try some easy exercises with your loved one if they have not been very active previously. Gentle exercises performed from a chair can help to improve mobility and increase activity.
sitting upright, pull your back from the chair and push your shoulders back. While extending your arms out to the side, gently push your chest out until you feel a stretch.
cross your arms over your chest and reach for your shoulders. Turn your upper body to the left without moving your hips, repeat this five times foreach side.
hold on to the sides of the chair and lift your left leg up as high up as is comfortable, keeping the knee bent. Do five of these lifts with each leg.
Straighten and lift your leg until it is off the floor. Point your toes away and then back towards you. Try doing two sets of five of these stretches with each foot.
Just because someone is diagnosed with dementia does not mean that they automatically lose all interest in their hobbies. However, they may need some help with facilitating these.
Your loved one could enjoy reading a daily newspaper but find it difficult to go down to their local shop. Assisting them by quickly picking it up means that they will still be able keep upto date with current events and have not needed to miss out on this.
Allowing them to still engage in their interests mean that your loved one will be able to have mental stimulation and will bring a lot of pleasure.
We all acknowledge that caring for people with dementia can be daunting and challenging. That’s why we train each and every one of our carers so they’re experts in Dementia care and understand how to make life easier for those living with the condition.
We recognize that the homes of our customers aren’t just buildings, they’re treasure troves,hosting decades’ worth of cherished memories. And when caring for someone with dementia,this continuity and consistency of environment and routine is absolutely vital. With our service, your loved one will be cared for by the same familiar faces, and you’ll get to know your carers too. Read more about our consistent service for live-in care, respite care,palliative care, domiciliary care and visiting care.
To live a fulfilled live, everyone needs to be treated with respect and dignity, and have their privacy respected. People with dementia are no different. Every person has different needs and different personalities. A person’s needs remain in place after they develop dementia. for example, someone who was chatty and sociable when they were younger will still need to be talked to and engaged with – even if they appear socially withdrawn or unresponsive.
You’ll likely already know a lot about your loved one. But keep in mind there may be things which they have kept from their friends and family – because they wanted to keep them secret, or because they found them too painful to share.
It can be very difficult discovering there is a different side to the person you love. But it’s important to know this information so you can help your loved one live a fulfilled life.
Dementia does not typically affect emotion. People still need affection, reassurance and security. They still need to feel human love, companionship and comfort.
People living with dementia may not be able to express this need clearly. They may use different ‘signals’ to communicate their emotional needs. They may ask for certain things,but mean something else.
No two people are the same. The things people need will be different depending on their relationship with their parents, whether they enjoyed their job, and how they felt about their home.
When you or a loved one has received a dementia diagnosis, it can be a difficult time for you all. You probably have lots of questions and are perhaps unsure whether you’ll be able to stay living in your beloved home. With live-in dementia care from Angelus Homecare, you can rest assured that you’ll never have to leave the comfort and familiarity of your own home in order to receive the appropriate care.
Whether you need 24-hour care whilst you are in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s, or you want extra peace of mind that someone will be there to help you go about your daily activities– live-in care allows you to have the freedom and flexibility of always having someone on hand throughout the day and night, should you need them.
All of our live-in carers receive detailed dementia training as part of our extensive training programme so that they will be able to provide the support and reassurance that you need when living with the condition. What’s more, we’ll make sure that your live-in carer matches you in both experience and personality – so if you have vascular dementia and require help with personal care but also have a particular love for football, we’ll work with you to find a carer that is able to help with your practical needs, but is happy to accompany you to cheer on your favourite team.
If you’re planning care for you or your family member, it’s easy to arrange support. Here’s how:
Call us on 01256 830930 or send us a message to request a call back. Our customer team are available to talk to you seven days a week
Your local Angelus Homecare manager will visit you to discuss your requirements face-to-face and learn about the type of care you’re looking for.
We’ll make all the arrangements for the start of your care – whether that’s introducing you to your visiting carers or working with you to find the right live-in carer for you. After that, your care manager offers regular reviews, carer supervisions and extra support as needed.
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Dementia care is all about helping you or a relative to have the support they need to carry on living in their own home. Our carers always work to follow a routine that you’re used to and comfortable with, maintaining independence as much as possible, and always promoting the highest standard of care for the person they’re supporting.
Our care workers are people who make each and every day count. Learn more about our care workers expertise and what makes a Angelus Homecare Worker so special.
You may be entitled to government funding, benefits or allowances that can help with the costs of visiting care.
Our friendly team is here to advise on funding options and point you in the right direction.
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