Dementia Care Homes

Michael Broughton, dementia care specialist

Our commitment to all our dementia care home residents is to assist them in leading active and fulfilled lives.

We do not accept generalisations about what such residents are, or are not, capable of doing or understanding. Instead, we like to take a more positive approach that addresses individual needs and focuses on the ability, not the disability:

• We value older people. Those living with confusion, memory loss and dementia are very often misunderstood. They may present unusual behavior which gives conflicting messages or is out of character.
• We understand that we are all unique individuals. The person we become as we get older will be shaped by a lifetime of experiences in careers, family, hobbies, relationships and faith to name just a few. Our goal is to re-assure our residents by maintaining links with valued elements of their personal history.
• Each resident has a personal care plan which is the base for developing an appropriate new lifestyle, including activities and routines, and allowing family members to remain involved in the life of the resident wherever possible.

Dementia can cause distress for both the individual and their families. Our goal is to create an atmosphere which is calm, relaxed and re-assuring.We achieve this via thorough understanding of life histories; developing well trained staff; having positive communications; routines with meaning; family involvement and good orientation of the building

Residents are encouraged to retain familiar routines, habits and lifestyle so that Life has meaning. Research has shown that unusual behavior in old age is often exaggerated examples of normal behavior from earlier phases of Life. By building a deep personal relationship it is frequently possible to understand the whole person and develop activities accordingly

Individuals benefit from taking part in normal life in the community. Life should continue and not stop or change when someone enters care. Depending on the individual, accompanied visits to shops, local parks, the pub or attending church services can make Life more meaningful and fulfilling. Where appropriate we aim to reduce medication if it will benefit the quality of life. This is undertaken following assessment and discussion with the family and healthcare professionals.

We encourage individuals to pursue ambitions. For example, we facilitated a group visit to the Millennium Stadium because residents expressed a wish to see it. We ensure that staff understand the special needs of people living with dementia through a comprehensive training plan. Our carers are taught to respect the wisdom of older people and listen to the meaning of the words. They are coached to understand the difficult moments and praise achievement.

Our dementia care specialist works tirelessly with home managers and carers to train staff and empower them to move away from outdated routines and to make each day special to those living with confusion and memory loss.

For more information on our dementia care homes please contact us.

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