The moment that you find out that either you or a loved one are diagnosed with dementia, it can turn your world around. There is so much you need to learn about the illness, how to treat it, how to provide the right kind of environment that is safe and suited to someone with the disease, and how to find the right doctors and therapists. It can all be a bit overwhelming, especially if you need to make a decision soon and you feel unprepared. As dementia progresses, the person will become increasingly forgetful, start to become more unsettled and anxious, as well as show signs of mobility issues and other health concerns. Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease requires specialised care and treatment, which is simply not available to the extent that they will need it in a general retirement home.
The treatment of dementia requires special dementia care staff, as well as the activities specially tailored to those suffering cognitive decline. Even the physical design of the living environments needs to be carefully designed with people with dementia in mind, so that they do not easily become lost, confused, or even accidentally find themselves somewhere unsafe. Dementia care specialists need to have ongoing training to be kept up to date with new developments in treatments aimed at helping those with memory related illness.
The best environment for someone with dementia is a specialised dementia care facility, with access to an expert team of neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, doctors, and individual dementia carers.
Why is Livewell Villages so well-suited to dementia care?
“Livewell is the ideal environment for an individual to remain just that, an individual. We look beyond the disease, and see the person with all their complexities and distinctiveness, and most importantly their unique needs. The disease is multifaceted, but so is the individual suffering from it. We recognize that and base our care and knowledge on it. We have centred our resources around that to ensure that the individual suffering from dementia has the best quality of life possible.” – Sean Van Wyk, Quality of Life Manager.
Livewell Villages has been built and developed from the ground up to provide the ideal environment for providing specialist dementia care and support to people with dementia. Every individual dementia carer has been specially trained to work with and treat people who suffer from cognitive decline and receive constant training to keep their knowledge of the disease and how to treat it up to date. Livewell offers patients access to an extensive team of experts in their fields of neuropsychology and occupational therapy.
That is what sets Livewell Villages apart from retirement homes, but what really sets us apart from other memory care facilities is our individualised care. Each resident of Livewell is interviewed upon their arrival to find out more about who they are, such as what they enjoy doing, what they did for a living, and more about the families supporting them (this is done in conjunction with all the cognitive and physical health tests we do). This helps our team to personalise that person’s experience to help them feel more at home, relaxed in their new environment, and be more engaged in their activities (tailored to their likes and dislikes). Residents are also paired with a dedicated companion, who in addition to their individual dementia carers, visits them weekly to form a friendship and take part in their favourite activities.
Livewell Villages residents have individual dementia carers who are trained to provide expert dementia care, they will ensure that the person eats and drinks enough water, as well as helps them with their medication management. They will also accompany them to the multiple activity programs that have been designed to uniquely engage with that person. Individual dementia carers are vital to the needs of our residents and their overall wellbeing.
Beneficial to you and your loved ones
Being the primary carer for your loved one with dementia is exhaustive and affects all facets of your life, and is often not possible alongside your own responsibilities such as your career or family. But when your loved one is receiving help from an individual dementia carer, you can finally feel that they are being properly cared for, so that you too can take care of yourself and your family.
“Thanks to Livewell Villages, family members who previously cared for loved ones suffering dementia, can finally have the opportunity to go back to their respective roles as wife, husband, son or daughter as opposed to being the primary carers. With dementia, the person needs their family members to support, love and comfort them during difficult times as opposed to helping them with everyday tasks. Livewell Villages creates a safe, caring and tranquil space where families can enjoy quality time with their loved ones.” – Santerien Henry, Healthcare Manager.
Choosing the right care home for your loved one with dementia is not easy and there are many factors that play a role. Livewell Village is a specialised dementia and Alzheimer facility in South Africa with qualified and trained nursing and care staff providing round the clock care to their residents. If you need help deciding on what is best for your loved one, speak to one of our trained family advisors today.