Caring for those with dementia
At Drymmau Hall we strive to deliver the best – and most appropriate care – we can for all the people living at our home. We look beyond categories – residential, nursing, or continuing health care – to see the individual for who they are. We try to look beyond diagnostic labels for health challenges, our aim being to nurture the whole person, assisting them to flourish and grow through an holistic philosophy of promoting physical and mental wellbeing as well as emotional support.
However, we, and lay people, in the UK well know that some diagnoses are particularly challenging, for those with the diagnosis and for their families. Such is the case with dementia, which statistics show will affect one in two people in the UK, and with an ageing population, this figure is set to rise. It is the health challenge of our age.
Dementia is a complex disease, and one name definitely does not fit all, but used to describe a group of symptoms that occur when brain cells stop working properly. There are different types of dementia, caused by different diseases that affect the brain. These diseases happen to specific areas of the brain, which can affect how you think, remember and communicate.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but there are other types of dementia too, like vascular dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies. It is possible to have more than one type of dementia at the same time, this is often called ‘mixed dementia’.
While there are different types of dementia, what is consistent is the fear, harm and heartbreak the disease causes as it progresses, and the increasing care burden put on loved ones who try to navigate the challenges alone. Often, there comes a time when difficult decisions have to be made either by the person affected by dementia, or by families on their behalf, that professional and long-term care will be needed to support on-going needs in a safe, secure and caring environment.
Drymmau Hall is one such environment where we welcome and support people with dementia into our extended family, offering fully-trained staff, and a dementia-friendly person-centred approach to ensure, connection, dignity and quality of life.
We recognise that placing a loved one in the care of others is not easy. You want to choose well and you want to choose wisely. The following ‘check list’ we hope empowers you to ask the right questions from those who you might entrust your loved one to, and to see for yourself if a place ticks as many of the boxes as is possible:
Do staff have specific dementia training?
Does the care home consider design (lighting/furnishings/memory boxes, signage etc) for those with dementia?
Does the care home tailor activities to dementia residents’ individual interests and capabilities? Are activities meaningful?
What is the food like? Can they cater for special diets?
Is there secure access to outside space?
Is there a choice of communal areas – e.g. a quiet space to sit and rest, and a livelier area for activities?
Can you have a meal with the person with dementia by prior arrangement?
How are residents and their families involved in care decisions?
How are residents with communication difficulties supported?
How can you communicate with staff if you have questions, concerns or recommendations?
How will staff support you and the person with dementia as they approach end of life?
This list is not definitive, and you can find medical, legal, help lines, and so much more information about most everything to do with dementia by visiting www.alzheimersresearchuk.org or www.dementiauk.org
Or you can visit us at Drymmau Hall, have a look around, talk to our staff and management team who’ll be happy to talk through how we might be able to offer the particular care that is so important to you and your loved one going forward.
