When you have decided that you want to send your loved one to a facility that offers specialist dementia care, there are many things you need to remember to ensure that they are completely happy with the decision and they stay safe and healthy for longer.
If you’re considering specialist care for a loved one with this condition, here is everything that you need to remember when you are making the decision.What You Need to Remember When Choosing Dementia Specialist Care
It is Important to Discuss Senior Living With Them
Although you may feel as if you are responsible for your family member, you should discuss the decision with them and ensure that you are open to their thoughts on the matter, especially if they are only in the early stages of dementia.
You should explain what is going to happen in detail and reassure them about everything that they are worried about, repeating yourself and answering their questions as much as you need to.
This will ensure they feel as if their wishes have been respected, and you should always try and let them look around their new home before they move in to make sure that they like it. This approach ensures they are being treated with respect and as an individual human with their own thoughts and ideas.
Care Homes Are Not Right for Everybody
Although you might believe that care homes are the answer to all of your worries and concerns, you need to be aware that they are not for everybody and that your loved one may become distressed or lash out if they were to be forced to move into one.
If that’s the case, you should make a decision that is best for them and that takes into consideration any preferences they stated before they were diagnosed with dementia. It would be best if you also tried to look into the alternatives, such as home help and live-in care instead. You might find that it is better to reach out to organisations that offer support in the form of a dementia friend. Social isolation is a big problem for so many, especially those with dementia. These organisations enable them to get visitors and interact with people who are appropriately trained on what it is like for people to live with this condition. You can support this organisation as an individual or a business, or even become a dementia friend yourself. The difference it could make to your loved one could be life-changing.
Every Care Home is Different
You also need to be aware that every care home is different, so you must look around a few of them before deciding the best one for your loved one. Although care homes in your area might all offer dementia care, some may have different standards of care, unique living environments, room sizes, and more qualified staff than others.
Because care homes are all unique, you should consider every one of them in your area and find one that suits your and your loved one’s specific needs. These care homes in Surrey are great examples of what to look for in a quality care home.
Look for a Care Home Before They Deteriorate
Many people who have relatives with dementia tend to think only about the immediate future and take one step at a time. Although this can be a good thing, as your loved one deteriorates, it will become more necessary to think about the future and the level of care that they need – especially since some of the best care homes may have waiting lists.
You should also take this time to research the different types of care at each care home on your shortlist so that you can rest assured you have chosen the right one for your family member.
