Familiarity and a friendly face with dementia care

Specialized dementia care works to reduce the effects and symptoms of dementia while providing peace of mind to individuals and their families. A change in routine and environment can be very depressing for someone living with some type of dementia. That is why more families than ever are turning to home care so their loved ones can stay in the places they know and love, rather than in foster homes.

Home care facility for dementia

Our team of carers have undergone extensive training and assessments to ensure they have all the skills to provide exceptional dementia care.

With Smile Healthcare you have the peace of mind of a service that is fully managed, licensed and regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

We help people to cope with the different challenges that dementia and memory loss bring. With hundreds of different strains of this sometimes debilitating condition and many different stages, one of our carefully selected caregivers will maintain your loved one's daily routines and relieve your family's stress by providing an alternative to care homes.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a general term for a variety of symptoms and progressive conditions that affect the brain and memory.

Conditions summarized under the generic term "dementia" are caused by abnormal changes in the brain. The brain is made up of billions of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate with each other through chemical signals. In dementia, these neurons are damaged, preventing these messages from being sent efficiently, which in turn affects all bodily functions.

These effects on the body are usually minor at first, but for someone with dementia they can become severe enough to interfere with daily life. The symptoms experienced by a person with dementia depend largely on two main factors; the parts of the brain that are affected and the disease causing the dementia.

What is dementia care?

Dementia care is all about helping you or a relative to have the support they need to carry on living in their own home. As a Dementia Action Alliance member, our carers always work to follow a routine that you’re used to and comfortable with, maintaining independence as much as possible, and always promoting the highest standard of care for the person they’re supporting.

Dementia care at home

Whether you just need someone to check on your loved one first thing in the morning and help with personal care or breakfast, or continuous live-in care to make sure they’re safe during the night, you can be assured that our fully-trained carers will be on hand to help whenever you need them. They can also assist with other areas, such as:

• Medication support
• Helping with mobility
• Facilitating hobbies, activities, and social interaction
• Preparing meals and tending to household tasks

How do you care for someone with dementia?

Your loved one may have difficulty remembering past memories, family members, or life events. To support them, you can help them communicate with them about their identity, such as their background, hobbies, interests and who is important to them.

As the condition worsens and progresses through the stages of dementia, your loved one may need more support. However, by continuing to involve them in your daily chores, you allow them to feel useful and can ease negative feelings about their self-esteem. At Smile Health Care we keep our team updated about all of the dementia care and research processes to ensure we are a dementia friendly organization. Our team of nurses and caregivers aim to keep up to date with all developments to ensure the best possible treatment.

Encouraging good health

The longer people stay fit and healthy for, the better quality of life they have. This is because if someone has an unhealthy diet, they can be susceptible to illnesses which can increase the effects of dementia and cause further confusion and agitation. Encouraging a person with dementia to exercise may be difficult at times, however the benefits are worth it. We have prepared a dementia guide that will act as a care assistant to your loved one – covering risk factors, cost of care, dementia news, types of care available such as nursing care and elderly care, the advantages of providing dementia care in UK homes and so much more.

Try some easy exercises with your loved one if they have not been very active previously. Gentle exercises performed from a chair can help to improve mobility and increase activity. The NHS recommend these movements:

• Chest stretch – sitting upright, pull your back from the chair and push your shoulders back. While extending your arms out to the side, gently push your chest out until you feel a stretch.
• Upper-body twist – cross your arms over your chest and reach for your shoulders. Turn your upper body to the left without moving your hips, repeat this five times for each side.
• Hip marching – hold on to the sides of the chair and lift your left leg up as high up as is comfortable, keeping the knee bent. Do five of these lifts with each leg.
• Ankle stretch – straighten and lift your leg until it is off the floor. Point your toes away and then back towards you. Try doing two sets of five of these stretches with each foot.

How to arrange visiting care