Are you the caregiver of an elderly loved one with dementia? Then finding the right place to care for your loved one can be a stressful, and sometimes heart-wrenching decision. We’ve put together this guide to help you find and choose the best Dementia Care Homes Gloucester so that you can feel confident and happy knowing that your loved one will be taken care of properly while you work on other aspects of their care.
What you should know
It can be an emotional decision, to choose a home for your loved one who suffers from dementia. In some cases, loved ones have become too difficult or unsafe to be left alone. Experts at the Alzheimer’s Association say it is important that the person is happy and safe in his/her surroundings and that everyone, caregivers, staff members, and other residents feel comfortable with each other.
There are three key areas of focus when making the selection. Safety, therapeutic care, and individualized therapy. Safety should be verified through reference checks and insurance ratings while therapeutic care should include services like speech therapy and physical activity programs tailored specifically to those with dementia.
What questions to ask yourself
There are so many questions that may go through your mind when deciding where you should place your loved ones. You will want the best care available, but this can be costly and not everyone has that option. So the next question is, do I have a budget? What are my other options? When considering long-term care facilities to find out if they provide dementia care homes, there are many factors you will need to take into consideration.
If your loved one needs extensive medical or mental health services, then it is important to know what their limitations are because this could affect their ability to participate in activities. It’s also important to know what the patient’s wishes are as well as what they’re currently able to do physically and mentally. A person with dementia who cannot walk or talk may require 24-hour supervision while someone who can still speak coherently might only need help with bathing and dressing.
Do they have experience with dementia patients?
Choosing a facility can be difficult. However, the main thing to consider is whether or not the staff have experience working with dementia patients and how they handle different behaviors. It’s important that your loved one feels safe and happy in their new home, so make sure you tour the facility beforehand.
Talk to other families who’ve dealt with similar situations, as well. Making a decision based on opinions from others is much easier than doing it all alone. One of the most important things to remember when considering a care home is safety.
If your loved one will be spending time outside, does the facility offer enough supervision? Does it provide an environment where there are no risks of wandering? These questions will help you narrow down your options and find the best fit for both you and your family member.
Check out the facility
It is important to check the facility first. Ask if the facility is familiar with providing care for people who have dementia (or Alzheimer’s Disease). Is there a program tailored specifically to their needs? How many other patients do they have who live with dementia (or Alzheimer’s)? If not familiar, it would be worthwhile getting more information about what the organization has to offer and how they run its programs. In other words, does it feel like an appropriate environment for someone living with dementia?
Safety, Security, and Supervision
Your loved one should be in a dementia care home that is safe, secure, and under the supervision of a trained professional. Consider what type of care you would like your loved one to receive from their dementia caregiver, as well as how important it is that they stay with people they know.
You should also look at the space the facility has. What are the different areas like, how big are they, and do they feel welcome? If your loved one is not fluent in English, try looking for English-speaking staff members or another facility where the caregivers speak a different language but have training in translating. Also, consider what time and hours of the day you want your loved one cared for and visit several facilities to see if there are adequate activities provided during these hours.
Elderly and dementia patients are an especially vulnerable population. Most of them cannot articulate their needs and some, like people with Alzheimer’s disease, may forget to ask for things that they need. Additionally, there is the risk of wandering, which could result in an emergency if not adequately supervised. Given these risks, the care home must have a well-designed floor plan, locks on all exterior doors leading outside, and proper staffing levels to provide the optimum level of safety, security, and supervision.
How long have they been in business?
The first thing you should ask yourself is how long they have been in business. Is this a company that has an established reputation? What are their credentials? The next thing you should ask yourself is whether this facility offers all the levels of care that your loved one needs.
Does this place offer short-term as well as long-term stays for when your family member needs assistance but also wants their independence? If so, does this place have more than just assistance with daily tasks but a program tailored specifically to people with dementia like memory games and activities geared towards improving cognitive skills? Lastly, does this place allow pets on site or nearby research has shown that having a pet around helps reduce stress in elderly patients!
Location, location, location
One of the most important aspects of finding a facility is choosing one that is close to your home. Distance will mean less frustration in visiting and checking on your loved ones as they get closer to needing around-the-clock care. You also want a dementia care home with a smaller capacity, giving your loved one more personal attention than if they were living in a home with 100 residents. The location should be both easily accessible and equipped with an Alzheimer’s Association Medical Alert System, which could give you peace of mind when you’re too far away from home.
Conclusion
Most people feel uncomfortable with their loved ones living in a facility and would prefer them to live at home. However, Dementia Care Homes Gloucester is tailored toward this exact need. There are many things you should consider when choosing the right one for your loved ones including the proximity of the home and amenities offered on-site. You want your loved ones to be happy in their new home.