Dementia Care
There are now nearly 850,000 people living within the United Kingdom with a diagnosis of dementia and we know our help is needed to support people to continue to live a fulfilled life. At Barchester we pride ourselves on delivering the best quality of care, and always ensure that we support you to continue to do the things you love, including for those living with dementia. Our specialist units for those living with dementia are called Memory Lane Communities and are designed to celebrate the lives of our residents, whilst keeping them safe and cared for.
What is dementia care?
Individuals living with dementia may require extra, or specialised care and support. People living with dementia can find it difficult making sense of their physical surroundings. They are likely to experience memory loss, and sometimes problems with perception, that can result in difficulty locating specific areas or specific rooms which is why we have designed our environments to help people to navigate around the home more easily.
Dementia care accommodates for these specific needs when nursing or residential care is not enough. Our staff are trained to understand the many different types of dementia and how some of the symptoms of these may present themselves for each person.
Who is dementia care for?
Someone with dementia should move into a care home when they are no longer able to live independently at home with support from a relative, friend or paid carer. We know extra support is often required to help maintain psychological, sociological and physical well-being and we are here to help with our team of experts who are highly trained to ensure those living with dementia stay safe and happy.
Dementia Care with Barchester Healthcare
Barchester Healthcare has a wealth of specialised resources to support individuals who are living with dementia, including a dedicated Dementia Care Specialist Team, who are generally published experts in the field, and a Quality Improvement Team, who assess the quality of delivery of our care to ensure it is constantly improving and up to date with the latest techniques.
We work with academic partners such as the Centre for Dementia Research at Leeds Beckett University, which is home to an internationally-recognised dementia research group – to ensure that our dementia care programme is second to none.
The care we deliver in our Memory Lane Communities is built upon 8 pillars:
- A committed, well-trained staff team, as caring for those living with dementia requires special aptitudes and skills as well as a caring and inclusive view on life. All of our teams are trained to deliver 24-hour care for dementia residents, and our staff who support residents living in Memory Lane have a more expert level of dementia care training.
- Person-centred care is at the heart of everything we do. We see the person, not the condition. When you arrive at one of our specialist dementia care homes, our carers will help create a memory book by finding out all about your loved one, their life story, the things they enjoy, the things they have achieved and their family and friends. We see their time with us as the next chapter in their life, and we promote independence where possible.
- Increasing well-being of our residents is so important, and from time to time people living with dementia may become distressed. We do not see this as ‘’challenging behaviour’’, but as a response to the situation that has developed, whether that is an internal or external anxiety. We use research-led techniques to understand the person and their feelings, and reduce distress through appropriate diagnosis of physical conditions, and appreciation of feelings of disorientation or frustration.
- The best physical environment is key to helping our residents finding their way around their environment and to enjoy their environment. We take care in ensuring that appropriate lighting, colour theming and furnishing are to the highest and most attractive standards – so that as well as orientating residents, we create a setting which residents will be proud to call home. Many of our beautiful gardens are also designed to aid sensory orientation.
- Life Enrichment programmes allow for all residents to have access to activities if they wish, and to continue aspects of their home life if this is what they choose to do. We also have some of the most advanced technological solutions to enhance engagement, which can include robotic pets and magic tables, which can make a huge difference, helping to stimulate or provide comfort and recreation.
- We emphasise good nutrition and seek to deliver an unrushed and supportive dining experience within an inclusive community, involving the whole staff team as appropriate – but also recognising that some may prefer to dine alone some of the time.
- Involving families and friends and supporting them is part of what we do, as we recognise that the decision to place a loved one in care is never an easy decision. Family and significant others will be involved in developing the delivery of care and may continue to deliver some aspects of support themselves if this is what the resident and the family or friend wishes to happen for example, assisting with a meal.
- We set standards for delivery of all aspects of dementia care and we continually monitor these. We regularly assess whether or not we have achieved this, so that we can correct any shortfalls and continually improve the quality of the care we deliver in line with these pillars.
