When you’re taking care of a parent or loved one who has dementia, you want to know that you’re making the right choices for them. Many families are able to take care of them in the early stages of the disease, but as it progresses the challenges start to mount up. The next step is normally finding long term care for their dementia patient. Many families immediately think of a nursing home or a day or full time nurse, and don’t realise that there is a better-suited form of care out there.
The problem with home care, for dementia patients, is their needs start to exceed what their family or home care nurse can provide in terms of healthcare, medical care, cognitive stimulation, and safety. Nursing homes cater well for the aged as well as end of life care, but they are not specialised for memory illnesses and so are not ideal for long term care for dementia patients.
Someone who has dementia will forget to take their medication regularly (or might overdose), or skip meals without realising it and end up malnourished. Even forgetting to drink water everyday can have devastating effects on someone who is elderly with dementia. People who have dementia often struggle to communicate what is wrong with them, making it difficult to pick up on illnesses or injuries. These are just some of the ways that make caring for someone with dementia more complicated, and after a little bit of research and perhaps a visit to one you will soon realise that the best choice for your loved one is a specialised dementia care facility.
Is there good long term care for a dementia patient?
There is no cure for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, but there are treatments available that can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life and even slow down the progression of the disease. Specialised dementia care facilities, like Livewell Estates, focus on memory care in addition to physical and medical care. At Livewell, each resident has a programme created uniquely for their needs including but not limited to, a special companion carer, memory stimulating activities, and their dietary requirements.
With your loved one in a specialised care facility that caters for memory-related illnesses, you will have greater peace of mind. Your loved one will be receiving the best possible care that is designed for someone with their condition.
What is full-time residency?
Being a resident in a specialised dementia care facility, like Livewell Estates, means that they will get round the clock care with qualified nursing staff and doctors at hand. Long term care for the dementia patient, instead of only daycare will help the loved one feel at ease about their surroundings as they get accustomed to it. Being in familiar surroundings will also help them to feel more secure. As a resident they will also have a dedicated companion carer who will help them settle into a new routine.
At Livewell, our Occupational Therapists first customise a personalised activities program for each new resident upon admission. The activities that are available are carefully planned and designed to be therapeutic and fulfilling. They play a large role in the treatment of the disease by aiming to reduce cognitive decline as well as anxiety and frustration. Activities include, among a number of others, arts and crafts, stories and poetry, gardening, outings, music and movement sessions, puzzles and board games, baking, group and animal therapy sessions.
Contact Livewell Estates
For more information about long-term dementia care for yourself or a loved one, please contact one of our estates based in Bryanston and Somerset West: https://livewell.care/contact/