What is Specialist Dementia Care?
What is Specialist Dementia Care?
How To Choose A Care Home For Dementia Patients?
We know it can be a difficult time, when your loved one has Dementia. Specialist care home support can be the lifeline your loved one and family needs.
Here at Athena Care Homes, we are proud to be award-winning care providers. Our expert team is trained in all aspects of caring for our elderly residents. They work hard to enhance the quality of life of all our residents, with a compassionate approach to Dementia care.
So, what is dementia care and what is the best approach to finding a specialist Dementia care home?
What Is Dementia Care?
The progression of Dementia can be challenging and stressful – not only for the person who is living with it, but also for their family, friends and support network.
Moving into a specialist Dementia care home can help those who are starting to have difficulty living independently.
Dementia care supports those living with Dementia. Although there is some ‘crossover’ with general residential care, Dementia care specifically seeks to support a person with the confusion, orientation and memory issues that they can experience. Difficulties with sleep and behaviour can also present themselves, so these are also addressed with compassion and understanding.
Our Person-Centred Dementia Care Homes
As a Dementia specialist care home, we take a person-centred approach which helps us to understand our residents’ individual needs.
Taking the time to learn about their likes, dislikes, and frustration triggers allows us to create an environment where our residents feel comfortable and safe. Feeling cared for and understood can help ease the struggles that Dementia can bring.
A person-centred approach is also taken when it comes to the ongoing care plan for each resident. To ensure that their needs are met, our residents and their families are consulted on decisions enabling us to provide the best care plan possible.
What is Dementia care like in an Athena care home?
We believe it is important to enrich the lives of all of our residents, whatever concerns they might be facing:
CREATING A HOME FROM HOME
As Dementia progresses your loved one may experience changes, but we believe that everyone should be able to live a balanced, stimulated and fulfilled life.
All of our residents are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms with their furniture, pictures and photographs. We find that this helps all of our residents to settle in and it also prompts memories for our residents with Dementia.
ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT
Our activities coordinators plan a full schedule of varied and enjoyable entertainment for all residents to participate in, should they wish. Where our residents have problems with their memory, there is an emphasis on stimulating memories.
Our memory care activities include reminiscing sessions, sensory stimulation and games on our OMI interactive table, and having a dance or a sing along to favourite songs.
A CONSIDERATE APPROACH TO NUTRITION
When someone has Dementia, dining can become difficult. Our chefs cater to a variety of different tastes, and physical and sensory abilities. As an example, our chefs will create modified meals for those who have difficulty chewing and swallowing.
LEARNING ABOUT HOBBIES & INTERESTS
Our activities coordinators ensure time is spent understanding the likes and dislikes of each resident, knowing the ins and outs of their personality, and what can stimulate them.
We firmly believe that understanding the hobbies and interests of each resident is essential to their wellbeing. We find that encouraging our residents to continue their favourite pastimes can really benefit their memory as well as their mental health.
Our care homes run a variety of weekly activities, such as baking clubs, knit and natter sessions, gentlemen’s socials and even pub sessions – all of which get rolled out across the property so that we are inclusive of those who are unable to leave their rooms.
With our Dementia care teams, you can rest assured that your loved one will live a comfortable and supported life with us.
What is Dementia care like in an Athena care home?
The NHS website has some useful advice about how to choose a care home for Dementia . The main considerations are:
Care Quality Commission (CQC) report – how has the care home been rated?
Facilities – are the facilities of a high standard?
Staff – do staff have specialist Dementia care training?
Location – is the care home located near to friends and family
Atmosphere – is the care home warm and welcoming?
The Alzheimer’s Society also has guidance on moving into a care home.
Visit one of our Specialist Dementia Care Homes
If you would like to find out more about our Dementia care services, please get in touch with a member of our friendly team. We can arrange a visit to one of our four locations that offer residential Dementia specialist care home services:
Amberley Hall, King’s Lynn, Norfolk
Aria Court, March, Cambridgeshire
Ashlynn Grange, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Avocet Court, Ipswich, Suffolk
We are happy to talk through our approach to Dementia care and look forward to hearing from you.
