Dementia Care

Caring for people with dementia

Older people, like the rest of us share an inbuilt need for purpose, achievement and belonging, and hence enjoy doing things. However, dementia hinders a person's ability to 'do'. All too often people living with dementia find themselves in environments that provide little or no stimulus or support to help them choose what to do*. Essentially they need support, the right support. At Netley Homes we always bear in mind the following useful principles:

• If you need to offer help to someone with dementia, try to do things with, rather than for, the person. This will help them feel more involved.
• Always try to focus on what the person can do rather than what they can't.
• Remember that they may have a short attention span and may find it hard to remember what they are doing, or concentrate on things.
• Try to be patient, and allow plenty of time.
• Give praise and encouragement. It helps reinforce memory.
• If you feel yourself becoming irritated or frustrated, think how the person might also be feeling. Take time out to give yourself, and the person, a break.

As dementia progresses, the person may find certain tasks increasingly difficult, while others may remain manageable for much longer. By helping sensitively, you can offer support while enabling them to do what they can for themselves. You will need to adjust the level of help you offer, so that they can continue to make the best use of their remaining skills. At Netley Homes we advise that you:

• Remember that it's more important that the person feels useful rather than that they complete the task perfectly.
• If you do have to redo a task that they have done, be tactful, or try to do it without them noticing.
• Always thank the person for their help.

People living with dementia are often at their best if they are confident and relaxed. There are plenty of things you can do to help the person feel calm and secure, for example:

• Ensure that the person is as close as possible to people and things that they recognise, and that they enjoy being with.
• Make sure the atmosphere is relaxed and uncritical.
• Try to ensure familiar surroundings and a regular routine, as this will be reassuring.
• Try to avoid too many conflicting sounds or large numbers of people, as this can add to a person's confusion. If possible, turn off the radio or the television. If the person needs to concentrate on something in particular, take them to a quiet place.

If the person becomes upset or embarrassed by their declining abilities or clumsiness, give them plenty of reassurance, and when things do go wrong, be tactful and encouraging. Having a good laugh about it together often helps.**

* North West Dementia Care Unit, Manchester University, 2005
**This information was provided by Alzheimer’s Society. For more information please visit their website at http://alzheimers.org.uk/