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.
There are many benefits of going 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.
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:
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.