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Dementia Care

Being diagnosed with dementia can come as a shock. It can be a worrying and upsetting time - not only for the sufferer, but for those close to them - and everyone affected needs a great deal of reassurance and support.

At Direct Health we understand that when someone finds that their mental abilities are declining, they feel vulnerable. We also understand that taking care of someone you know and love who is suffering from dementia can be very stressful and upsetting – particularly if, as in most cases, they don’t even realise they actually have the condition.

Our Care and Support Workers are a vital lifeline to help those with dementia to live as independently as possible whilst retaining their sense of identity and self-respect. They are also invaluable to family and friends for much needed support and respite.

”Apart from family members or friends who provide the bulk of care and support, home care is the single most important service involved in supporting people with dementia in their homes.”
The National Dementia Strategy

Any kind of successful home support relies on careful and thorough preparation and planning and this is particularly true of support for people with dementia and their carers. We work closely with the customer and their carers to create an individually tailored care plan that meets the changing needs of all parties. Whether the requirement is for frequent visits to simply check that everything is OK, or for short or extended periods to give carers a much needed break, our services place the needs, wishes and aspirations of the customer at the heart of the care and support process.

In times of great uncertainly, we offer continuity, reliability and flexibility of response that helps to give back choice and control to the customer.

Direct Health has Care and Support Workers available who are qualified and experienced to deal with all forms and stages of dementia including Alzheimer's Disease.

For a free, no obligation assessment, contact your local branch and we can arrange for a representative to visit you to discuss your requirements. They will take the time to make sure that the care plan is specifically designed and adapted to suit your personal needs.

Real Life Stories

The stories below involve real people. However, their identities have been changed to protect their privacy.

JOHN

As is often the case, John doesn’t even realise he is suffering from dementia. He lives at home with his wife but believes he is perfectly capable of looking after himself.

When his wife wanted to have a week away to visit their daughter in Jersey, John was placed into a home for a week’s respite. Unfortunately, he didn’t settle at all and became increasingly agitated and aggressive towards the staff. We were asked to step in and take John home where he was cared for full time by one of our experienced Care and Support Workers.

Unable to return immediately from Jersey, John’s wife was, understandably, very concerned that he would not settle at home with someone new in the house. However, as soon as he arrived home to his familiar surroundings, he became calm and was much happier being back in his home environment. His wife called every day to see how things were going and was very pleased and comforted that John was happily getting on with his daily life. The service worked so well that John’s wife has been able to visit their daughter on two further occasions knowing that John is being well cared for.

LYDIA

We first got to know Lydia when we were asked to call in regularly for 15 minutes every morning to make sure she was taking her medication. At first, Lydia could never quite understand why we are there as she felt she was fit and healthy enough to be able to manage by herself.

However, as Lydia’s needs have increased, she has come to know and trust her regular Care and Support Workers and is happy to allow them to assist her with everyday activities such as preparing meals, taking out rubbish and tidying up in the kitchen. The Social Worker and Community Psychiatric Nurse involved are both really pleased with the progress we have made with this very independent lady who simply doesn’t understand she has dementia.