How are Dementia Residents Supported in a Care Home?
When someone you love or care for has signs of dementia it can become overwhelming, especially if their case is becoming more complex, affecting their mental capacity. From considering if you should try and care for them at home, or move them into a care home, we’re here to help explain some of the benefits both for someone living with dementia as well as family members affected.
Benefits of Living With Dementia in a Care Home
There are many benefits of transitioning into a care home when someone has dementia, one of the biggest benefits being that there is personal care available 24/7, 365 days a year. No matter what time of the day or night health care and support is needed, our expert care staff will be on hand to help. Another benefit being that the staff in care homes are qualified, trained and experienced, especially when it comes to dementia care. Caring for a person with dementia requires knowledge, insights and caring skills, especially if their condition progresses, understanding sundowning, creating valuable social experiences and reminiscence therapy is essential.
It’s also important for care homes to provide plenty of social activities as isolation can become very problematic with the elderly, especially those with dementia. It can lead to loneliness which can become very detrimental, yet plenty of activities and social interactions as well as therapies such as art and music therapy can help prevent this, along with other stimulation activities to ensure residents remain engaged and happy to live independently.
Going into a care home with not only a dedicated team, but somewhere with outstanding facilities also benefits the person with dementia. For example, here at Westerton along with our amazing facilities and amenities, our home is furnished with modern decor, we allow and persuade all of our residents to bring as many personal items as they’d like into our home, ensuring they feel as if its their home away from home. Catering is another big benefit within our care home, because they’re all taken care of. Trained staff can assist residents with drinking and eating requirements such as reminding them when to eat, encouraging them to eat and drink and also arranging specialised diets for dysphagia. Here at Westerton Care Home, our residents love our food; it’s freshly prepared for and cooked for by our in-house chefs.
Benefits of Using a Care Home for Loved Ones
- Peace of Mind - We understand that there are plenty of worries when it comes to a family member or loved one having dementia or Alzheimer's disease, from worrying about them wondering around, falling, managing their personal hygiene and care, forgetting to eat and drink or even falling a victim to scams. However, with your loved one secure in a care home, you can have peace of mind knowing they’re safe, even when you can’t be there.
- Location - Although you may think keeping your loved one at home could be a good idea due to the fact its their own home, they’re essentially living in a property that was suitable for them at a previous stage in their life, which eventually becomes unsuitable for their needs in the present and future. It's important to always put someone's best interests first, people with dementia in care homes not only benefit from more secure living situations and facilities to adapt to their needs, but they also benefit from regular community visits, such as hairdressing and chiropody. Often, friends and family members Google ‘dementia care homes near me’ to ensure they can be nearby which will enable them to visit more regularly. If you’re local to Bearsden and the surrounding areas in Scotland, have you ever thought about visiting care homes? Westerton Care Home could be the perfect care home for your loved one.
- Your Relationship - One of the biggest benefits of using a care home for someone living with dementia is that it allows your relationship to go back int a more fulfilling level, meaning you don’t need to be responsible for care provision anymore and any resentment or stress can be taken off your shoulders by the carers within the home.
- Support for You - Here at Westerton Care Home, our highly experienced staff are here to recognise that yourself and other loved ones around need support too. With our experience and knowledge as well as real presence, we can help lighten your burden, offer advice and remove some of that stress you may have, ensuring we become the right care home for you.
How Can Westerton Care Home Support You and Your Loved One
Here at Westerton Care Home, we have a specific unit dedicated to dementia care; Argyll Unit - this unit is for residents with more advanced stages of dementia. This unit is staffed by professional care staff such as nurses and carers who have a specific set of skills in dementia care and who excel in various areas, such as:
- Stress and distress behaviours
- Walking with purpose/exploring the environment
- Patience and kindness
- Good knowledge of dementia care and the issues that can arise
Argyll unit sets us apart from others, we provide personal care and despite the conditions that our residents have, it’s a calm, peaceful environment. Each staff member has been specifically chosen by the management team to work there, the team is led by unit manager Steven McDonald, who is very experienced in this field. The unit is also overseen by Deputy Manager Lesley Fisher, who is a Dementia Champion and has 20 years of experience in nursing and dementia care. Lesley is rolling out an intensive training programme for all staff within the home, so that everyone can excel in delivering dementia care. There are plans underway for various types of training, including how to handle stress and distress and how to handle every day issues that can arise with those living with dementia.
Lesley can provide staff and relatives with training and is also looking at organising relative meetings or zoom calls on dementia care. She has worked for our company before as a dementia lead nurse and has also worked with Alzheimer’s Scotland. She is very excited to be part of the new dementia work within Westerton Care Home and is looking forward to be leading this for the whole team.
Our care home is currently 13 years old; still relatively new with a very modern, homely feel, a residential setting where residents feel that they are living somewhere luxurious, which takes away the feeling of being in a care home. Each bedroom has an ensuite and the bedroom itself can be tailored to the individual resident. The unit has plenty of space, which is ideal for our residents who enjoy walking at their leisure. The staff are advocates for person centred care and each resident has their own care plan designed especially for them. Westerton Care Home benefits from having three activity coordinators and there are always lots of activities to choose from, plus we have our own mini bus for outdoor trips!
If you’d like to enquire further about our dementia care home, how we can support you and your loved ones further, or even the process when it comes to moving into a care home, pease contact one of our staff members today; we'd be happy to help and answer the most common questions asked if it helps. If you're considering other residents in terms of what other care we provide, we can help anyone looking for residential care, nursing care, palliative care and respite care.
