Dementia care is specialist care provided by carers who are experienced and trained in caring for someone living with dementia, enabling them to continue living at home.
At Carefound Home Care we believe that, where appropriate, offering people who suffer from dementia the opportunity to remain in the familiarity of their own home with tailored support from a trusted, trained, professional carer enables them to retain independence and a much higher quality of life. We are highly experienced in providing specialist, one-to-one dementia care, fully supported and managed by our local care management teams.
As a specialist dementia care provider, we can support you or your loved one with flexible hourly home care, including sleepover night care or waking night care, or full-time live-in care. This means we can meet the evolving needs of somebody living with dementia at home.
Begin your dementia care journey with us
Contact our friendly team to talk about your dementia care needs.
Types of dementia care at home
Dementia care is available in your own home from trained carers, who can provide flexible hourly visiting care or live-in care.
Our local teams can provide hourly visiting home care or live-in care on a permanent or temporary basis. We operate a consistent, fully managed dementia care service, so whether you require low level care or specialist live-in care as an alternative to a dementia care home we are here to help.
Hourly home care
Flexible hourly visiting home care from a professional carer, trained in dementia care, in your own home. Anything from a 1 hour care visit through to longer visits or overnight care.
Benefits include:
- Visits from 1 hour a week depending on your needs
- Remain in your own home
- Care based around companionship and continuity
- Flexible care plan designed around you
- Care for any level of need
- Specialist care for people living with dementia
- Sleepover or waking night care
- Available as short-term respite care
Live-in care
Round-the-clock live-in care as a preferred alternative to a dementia care home. One-to-one support from a professional live-in carer enabling you to continue to live independently at home.
Benefits include:
- 24 hour care from a carer matched to you
- Remain in your own home
- Weekly support visits to ensure care working well
- Personalised care plan designed around you
- Care for any level of need
- Specialist care for people living with dementia
- Locally managed 24/7 by our local branch
- Available as short-term respite care
“Thank you for your professionalism and persistence when dealing with difficult situations with Mum. The ‘Specal’ method has been used with very positive outcomes.”
Miss H, Ilkley
Why choose us for dementia care?
At Carefound Home Care we’ve been providing highly personalised dementia care to older people for many years. Our care is focused on helping our clients enjoy a better quality of life at home, whilst improving their health and well-being outcomes.
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC
Each of our home care branches are individually registered, inspected and rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and we have been consistently rated Outstanding, giving families the peace of mind that they are receiving the best care service available.
Local to you
Your care is managed by our local branch which ensures that we are able to maintain exceptional levels of support for our carers, our clients and their families. We provide this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We also recruit our carers from our local areas.
Continuity of care
Unlike an agency, we employ, train and support our professional carers who we match to you. We also provide minimum hourly care care visits of 1 hour and one or two week live-in carer rotations. This enables us to give you much better continuity and consistency.
Expertly trained carers
All of our carers undergo an extensive recruitment process including interviews, reference checks and an Enhanced DBS Check. They then complete our leading training programme which includes specialist training in caring for people living with dementia.
A fully managed service
We remove the burden of families having to manage care themselves. This includes visiting and contacting our clients and carers regularly, and constant monitoring of your care including any concerns or issues. We also invest in training, supervising, developing and supporting our carers.
Improved health outcomes
We have a proven track record of improving health outcomes including reducing falls, managing signs of deterioration and lowering the risk of hospital admissions. Our proactive approach is supported by our innovative technology and reduces reliance on hospitals and other NHS services.
Hear from our trained dementia carers
We love sharing stories about how our dementia carers improve the lives of the people we care for at home. Have a listen to some of our dementia trained carers talking about why they enjoy caring for people living with dementia.
What is dementia?
Dementia is an incurable condition caused by diseases of the brain which over time seriously impacts upon the ability of someone to live independently. There are almost 1 million people living with dementia in the UK today. The condition primarily affects people over the age of 65 and risk increases with age, however it can affect younger people and there are over 16,000 people under the age of 65 who have dementia. Although public awareness of dementia is now high, understanding of it remains very poor and few people appreciate what help is available to live well with dementia.
What are the symptoms of dementia?
Dementia is progressive and as such symptoms may gradually get worse over time. Example symptoms to look out for include:
- Memory loss – especially problems with memory for recent events, such as forgetting messages, remembering routes or names, and asking questions repetitively
- Increasing difficulties with tasks and activities that require organisation and planning
- Becoming confused in unfamiliar environments
- Difficulty finding the right words
- Difficulty with numbers and/or handling money in shops
- Changes in personality and mood
- Depression
How is dementia diagnosed?
If you are worried about dementia or you are concerned about your memory it is always a good idea to contact your GP. If you know somebody who you think may have dementia or your are worried about them, you should also encourage them to see their GP. Being forgetful or having memory problems does not necessarily mean somebody has dementia – this can also be caused by depression, stress, drug side effects, or other health problems. However, it is just as important to rule out these other problems or treat them.
Be aware that there are many reasons for memory loss apart from dementia (such as depression). However, the earlier help is sought the better as a diagnosis is always helpful in planning for the future and with treatment and support many people with dementia can continue to live an active and fulfilling life.
Visit your GP about dementia
During a visit to your GP they will ask about your symptoms and other aspects of your health, which will encompass giving you a physical examination. The GP will also organise blood tests and ask about any medications you may be taking as these can impact upon memory. You may also be asked some general questions or be given mental exercises.
Referral to a dementia specialist
You may then be referred to a local memory clinic or specialist for assessment where a formal diagnosis can take place. If a specialist is involved, this may be a geriatrician, a neurologist or a psychiatrist. A number of tests will be carried out to check basic thinking processes and the ability to perform daily tasks, and sometimes further tests may be requested such as a brain scan or a more in-depth assessment of memory, concentration and thinking skills.
A diagnosis of dementia
If a person is diagnosed with dementia they will be provided with the following information:
- the type of dementia you have, or if it is not clear, what the plan to investigate further will be
- details about symptoms and how the illness might develop
- appropriate treatments that you might be offered
- care and support services in your area
- support groups and voluntary organisations for people with dementia and their families and carers
- advocacy services
- where you can find financial and legal advice
Ongoing dementia assessments
Following a diagnosis your doctor will arrange to see you regularly – typically every 6 months or 1 year. This is because dementia is a progressive condition and it is important to understand how you are coping and the support you are receiving. The doctor may also wish to prescribe medications to help with the symptoms of dementia.
Our personal, practical approach to dementia care
In helping our clients remain at home we have collaborated with the Contented Dementia Trust to introduce and adopt their specialist approach to caring for people with dementia called the SPECAL method.
What is the SPECAL method?
The SPECAL method treats dementia as a disability and works positively with it, rather than trying to ignore or defeat it. It has been shown to:
- Increase the person’s confidence and thereby slow the rate of deterioration
- Reduce the need for medication
- Enable the person to remain in their own home for significantly longer
- Minimise the distress all too often seen during and after a transition into a different care setting
Understanding dementia – the SPECAL Photograph Album
At the heart of the SPECAL Method is an innovative way of understanding dementia from the point of view of the person with the condition – the SPECAL Photograph Album. This leads to a counter-intuitive but essential set of principles known as SPECAL sense, a way of communicating with the person with dementia that immediately reduces stress for everyone concerned. Carefound Home Care provides training in the general principles of the SPECAL method across its home care team to ensure that all its clients can benefit.
The three Golden Rules of dementia
SPECAL sense begins with three Golden Rules (don’t ask questions; listen to the expert; don’t contradict). These basic rules apply to each and every person with dementia and will make a remarkable difference as soon as they are introduced, but they are not enough to sustain well-being for life. Each person’s life history is different and individualised profiling will be required to sustain well-being lifelong. Profiling demands a complex mix of skills and experience, and Carefound Home Care works with the Contented Dementia Trust to integrate the necessary training into its current programme.
Living with dementia
The conditions regarded as essential for well-being according to the Contented Dementia Trust are:
- Personal worth: The feeling that one is valued
- A sense of control: Being able to make decisions and see that they are implemented
- Social ease: Being able to feel comfortable in interaction with others and share a social space
- Trust and confidence: The feeling that all will be well in the end
We have experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, including with other health professionals such as specialist mental health teams, and fully appreciate the importance of a co-ordinated approach in helping our clients.
How to arrange dementia care at home
We try to make the process of arranging your care as easy and straightforward as possible. Call our local team today to begin your dementia care journey.
Dementia care FAQs
What is dementia care?
Dementia care is a type of specialist care tailored to people living with dementia. It's provided by people who are trained in caring for somebody with dementia and is aimed at improving the quality of life of the person living with dementia and everybody involved in their care.
What are the early signs of dementia?
There are different types of dementia with the majority of cases being made up of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Different types of dementia can affect people in different ways, but some common early symptoms include memory loss, difficulty concentrating or following a conversation, confusion about time or place, finding it more challenging to carry out daily activities, or sometimes mood changes. These symptoms are often mild and might remain the same or only get worse gradually, but if you notice these symptoms or you're worried about a loved one, it's important to talk to a GP sooner rather than later.
How common is dementia?
There are almost 1 million people in the UK today who have dementia and according to the Alzheimer's Society 1 in 3 people born in the UK today will be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime. The number of people with dementia is increasing as the population ages, and a more proactive approach by health services is meaning that more people are being diagnosed with the condition earlier.
How can I support someone with dementia?
It is important to understand dementia from the perspective of the person with the condition. Once we do this, we can use the three Golden Rules to reduce stress for the person with dementia and everyone around them, which are 1. Don’t ask direct questions, 2. Listen to the expert - the person with dementia - and learn from them, and 3. Don’t contradict. To speak to our local experts about supporting someone with dementia call us on 0330 223 6240.
