In order to provide the best possible care to someone with dementia, it’s important to understand the options available. First of all, there’s the option of a care home. A care home is a building with staff that offers both care and accommodation to those who need it. Care home staff will be responsible for things like medication, washing, dressing and taking residents to the bathroom. Home care, on the other hand, involves the support of a professional in the resident’s own home.
Benefits of Home Care
Home care is a more popular option, and it comes in different forms. Some of the benefits can be found below.
Flexibility
The flexibility of home care means it can be tailored to meet the person’s individual needs. This could be a weekly visit from a carer, or it could be that the carer lives at home and provides support around the clock. It’s also possible to request a carer who is medically trained, as they can administer medication for specific needs. If care needs change in the future, it’s easy to adjust to this by simply providing additional support.
Personal Touch
Most care services work hard to pair a resident with the right carer. Specific requests can be made, such as having access to a car, or who knows sign language. It’s even possible to request carers who like animals. Ultimately, personal touch is one of the biggest benefits of choosing home care. However, when medical needs become more complex, it might be necessary to consider what is a skilled nursing care center. These centers provide specialized care that goes beyond what home care can offer, ensuring residents receive the medical attention they need.
Stability
People who have specific needs, such as those who have dementia, often find that they benefit more by staying at home. They will be surrounded by their own memories, and belongings. Staying at home means they can be close to family, friends and even neighbours too. This is in addition to having support from a carer, and local nursing community. Being surrounded by familiar faces is one of the easiest ways to increase confidence while combating loneliness.
The downside to choosing home care is that some adjustments may need to be made to the home. Adaptations can be paid for by charity grants and via government support, not to mention that applying for modifications is very easy as it can all be done online. The costs don’t vary much depending on location either. In the end, what really matters is to choose a renowned dementia care company in London that will take care of your relatives as well as if they were their own relatives.
Benefits of a Care Home
The benefits of choosing a care home are numerous; however, they apply more to those who can no longer live at home.
Socialisation
First of all, moving into a care home offers the chance to meet new people. There are often organised activities and even outings to help combat boredom. If isolation is an issue at home, this is the ideal solution.
Routine
Living in a care home can provide a stable routine. With regular attention, those with dementia can feel at ease knowing that their meals are being prepared, chores are taken care of and that their medication is going to be administered to them on a schedule.
Regulation
The CQC regulates all care homes in the country. When moving a loved one into a care home, check the latest data on the website. Each inspection covers effectiveness, responsiveness, care and leadership. A rating is also assigned, meaning that it’s easy to find one that is suited to the needs of the individual.
Moving from a home to residential care is a huge step. With conditions such as dementia, a specialist home may be required. Rules are often in place to safeguard residents, and these are implemented by carers. This could be what time showers are taken, and when social events are.
Even those who can afford to move into a care home may find that there is some degree of stress involved. This can impact physical and emotional health as well, but in the case of dementia, the fact that they are going to receive a higher standard of care makes it worth it. This is especially the case if the person in question is a danger to themselves, or to others.
Some find the stability of living in a care home to be a positive thing and feel much more secure knowing that they are being taken care of by professionals, who they can go on to have a very positive relationship with. By weighing up the options, it becomes easier to make good decisions regarding care. Taking into account individual needs is important here, as what’s right for one dementia patient, might not be suited to another.
