Why live-in care is right for dementia

Loga Care recognises that people with dementia will eventually lose all their skills and become incapable of carrying out everyday activities. However, we are passionate about working with clients to ensure they stay active for as long as possible. The Alzheimer’s society suggests that:

"The person is as close as possible to people and things that they recognise, and that they enjoy being with."

"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."

These are all the areas that a live-in carer will help with a dementia client as by supporting them at home we are ensuring they remain in their familiar surroundings with a regular routine.

LOGA CARE will help the client to maintain their independence.

People with dementia need to continue carrying out as many of their previous activities as independently as possible, in order to retain their skills. Doing things for themselves will enhance their physical, social and emotional well-being, through the preservation of their dignity, confidence and self-esteem. 

A live-in carer will spend time with the client they are in the home 22 hours a day, minus their 2 hour break. A live-in carer will support and encourage the client to do whatever they can for themselves, and to offer only as much help as is needed. This is not always easy - not least because it may be frustrating watching something being done slowly when you could do it more quickly and easily yourself. But even if the person is struggling with a task, the live-in carer is trained to avoid the temptation to take over and to recognise that encouragement is key to maintaining the client’s independence.

Loga Care live-in Carer will:

• Offer to help; try to do things with, rather than for, the client so they feel involved. Do tasks together and integrate these tasks into the daily routine.
• Always try to focus on what the client can do rather than what they can't. 
• Not expect too much, dementia clients have a short attention span and may find it hard to remember or concentrate on things. The live-in carer will break the task down into sections that are more manageable and with easy clear instructions, with short sentences that will not confuse the dementia client, and then plan for the next activity or describe the next step after completion. If only 1 step out of 3 is completed the live-in carer will ensure that the client has a sense of achievement through praise and encouragement.
• As a live-in carer is able to offer one to one care, they have the time to be patient, and go at the pace the client wishes.
• Dementia clients often feel unsafe; a live-in carer offers the client and the family the security that they are living in the home to care for the client. They are able to maintain the client’s safety, e.g. we can use a door alarm to alert to the live-in carer if the client wanders out of the building unexpectedly.
• Ensure all doors and windows are locked at night to protect and ensure the clients safety
• Ensure meals and drinks are consumed to ensure the client maintains hydration and nourishment and is well cared for.
• Prompt or assist with personal care, and clean clothes to ensure the client is well groomed and personal hygiene is maintained.
• Loga Care will work with the client, carer and family to develop a care plan that contains a weekly plan of leisure activities and household tasks. This gives focus to the day, lessens anxiety and ensures the client is maintaining their life skills. Even if the task has to be redone the live-in carer will also thank the client for help and tactful complete the task.
• The live-in carer can use memory aids to help the client keep control of their surroundings, a large calendar, a notice board, pictures on cupboards are all memory aids that Loga Care can put in place to assist the client in their own home and maintain their independence.

Loga Care are able to care for clients when the dementia is at a more advanced stage, the live-in carer will use pointing, demonstrating, or guiding an action rather than giving a verbal explanation, to assist the client at this stage.