Let us support you with specialist dementia care in the home. At Bluebird Care, our dementia care services can provide the essential support you need. Our private dementia care is delivered by our nationwide team of specialists, who are dedicated to supporting people with dementia to live an independent life at home.
Dementia Care at Home
Our dementia home care services aim to manage the effects and symptoms of dementia, whilst offering warmth, comfort and reassurance to the individual and their families. We understand the emotional, social, and practical challenges of living well with dementia.
Gradually the world of the person with dementia and their family carers shrinks as the disease progresses. Maintaining a life outside of the home or indeed sharing the closeness you once had together can often become difficult. This, together with the demands of practical care and support, can leave you feeling isolated and exhausted.
A change in routine and environment can be very daunting for someone who’s living with dementia. That’s why more families are turning to home care, rather than residential care, so their loved one can stay in the place they know and love. Our dementia care services sensitively respond to the individual needs of you and your family.
With kindness and compassion, our highly-trained specialists deliver flexible services that are tailored to fit your loved one’s chosen lifestyle, so they can continue to enjoy the important things in life. Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you and your family with dementia home care services.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is the term for a range of similar progressive symptoms and conditions that affect the normal functioning of the brain and memory.
The brain is made up of billions of neurons, or nerve cells, that communicate with each other through chemical signals. Dementia causes these neurons to deteriorate, making it harder for the brain to function normally.
The effects it has on the body are often small to start with, then progressively become more intense as the condition continues. The symptoms that someone with dementia experiences will depend on two factors: the disease that is causing dementia and the parts of the brain that are affected.
What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
People often confuse the terms ‘dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’s disease’. Dementia is the name given to a specific group of diseases which all cause a serious decline in the functioning of the brain. Whereas Alzheimer’s disease refers to one specific type of dementia and is the most common form.
What are the Types of Dementia
There are six main types of dementia, each with its own causes and symptoms.
Alzheimer’s
- Most cases of dementia care needed for older people are the result of Alzheimer’s disease
- Chemical and structural changes cause brain cells to die.
Vascular or Multi-Infarct Dementia
- The second most common form of dementia
- The person suffers a series of strokes that prevent oxygen from reaching the brain causing the brain cells to die.
Dementia with Lewy Bodies
- This form of dementia is rarer, affecting 10-15% of the total number of people with dementia
- Abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies are present in the brain. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease because the symptoms are similar.
Frontotemporal Dementia or Pick’s Disease
- The word ‘frontotemporal’ refers to the two sets of lobes (frontal and temporal) in the brain that are damaged in this type of dementia.
- Caused by build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain, it leads to a progressive loss of brain cells and the connections between the two sets of lobes and the rest of the brain break down.
Mixed Dementia
- Is a condition whereby a person has more than one type of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia is the most common type.
- More common in older age groups such as those over 75 years.
Young-Onset Dementia
- When a person develops dementia before the age of 65, this is known as ‘Young-Onset dementia’.
- A wider range of diseases cause young-onset dementia.
You may think dementia is an inevitable ’fact’ of ageing. This is not true. Age does not cause dementia, although the risk does significantly increase with age. Dementia can affect younger adults as well as older people.
There are currently about 850.000 people living with dementia in the UK and this figure is expected to rise to one million by 2025.
What are Symptoms of Dementia?
Dementia symptoms will vary depending upon the type of dementia and the area of the brain cells affected. Additionally, dementia can affect people in different ways. However, below are some of the most common early signs of dementia:
- More frequent memory loss, forgetful of familiar people, places or recent events.
- Slower than usual thinking speed, difficulty finding the right words.
- Periods of mental confusion.
- Difficulty understanding or making decisions.
- Impaired reasoning, inability to make judgements, plan or carry out tasks that require concentration.
- Changes in personality or mood, disinhibited behaviour.
- Increased apathy or lack of interest in their usual activities.
- Withdrawn due to a loss of confidence or inability to manage everyday tasks and communication.
- Hallucinations, hearing or seeing things that others don’t.
- Loss of sense of time, people, places.
Although there is no cure for dementia, it can be managed with the right support and dementia care at home. With dementia care home services from Bluebird Care, we can help those living with dementia to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives, and support family members who are impacted by it.
Dementia Diagnosis
Dementia can be difficult to diagnose, especially if the person’s symptoms are mild.
So, during a dementia diagnosis, the GP will begin by finding out whether the symptoms are being caused by another treatable condition, such as a urinary tract or chest infection, constipation, thyroid deficiency, brain tumour, depression, emotional upheaval or a side effect of medication.
Once other causes have been eliminated, the GP is likely to make a referral to a specialist such as a neuropsychologist or psychiatrist. They may:
- Talk to the person and people who are close to them.
- Use a tool to test memory and thinking (such as the Mini Mental State Examination)
- Arrange a brain scan
- Carry out a physical examination.
What is Dementia Care?
Dementia care is about helping you or your loved one have the support needed to continue living at home and leading a fulfilled life. At Bluebird Care, our specialists are here to work with you and your family to create a routine that promotes as much independence as possible.
Dementia Care in your Home
Our fully-trained carers are on-hand to provide whatever support you or your loved one needs to maintain their quality of life while remaining at home. We’ll work with you to create a specialised care plan, whether you just need someone to check on your relative first thing in the morning and help with breakfast, or continuous live-in care to make sure they’re safe during the night.
We can also assist with other areas, such as:
- Reminding or helping you to take your medicines to manage your symptoms.
- Support with bathing / showering / and / or dressing to keep you looking your best.
- Catheter Care and continence management to maintain your dignity and comfort.
- Help to establish a regular exercise routine to improve mood and mobility and to strengthen muscles.
- Making sure you have plenty of fluids and a balanced diet, with enough fresh fruit and vegetables and fibre to keep you healthy.
- Assisting with routine household chores and shopping so your home life is as you would like it to be.
- Companionship, or helping you to be involved in social activities.
Our services provide the support and care you need to get you and your loved ones through the difficult days.
Find out more about dementia and the support available from the Alzheimer’s Society.
