What is dementia care?

Those living with dementia may require specialist dementia care to keep them safe and help them to live comfortable and independent lives.

If you know someone who has dementia and want to know what your options are when it comes to dementia care, then read on to find out more.

What is dementia care?

Dementia is a neurological condition that can affect people of all ages but is most common in the elderly. As people continue to live for longer, dementia has become a more common condition.

According to the NHS, currently, around 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 in the UK have dementia, and this figure rises to 1 in 6 in people over the age of 80.

There are different types of dementia, each characterised by a slightly different set of symptoms. However, all types of dementia cause an ongoing decline in brain functioning.

The most common symptoms of dementia include confusion, memory loss, difficulty with language, and changes in behaviour.

Those with dementia can have difficulties performing everyday activities and making decisions, and so struggle to maintain their independence.

Dementia care provides help and support to those living with dementia to help them to maintain as much independence as possible, keep them safe and secure, and improve their quality of life.

Who can provide dementia care?

Dementia care can be provided by a healthcare professional, dementia care specialists, a family member, or a friend.

If you are going to take on the role of primary carer for a person with dementia, then it is beneficial to complete a training course first to ensure that you fully understand the condition and how best to support someone with dementia.

Whilst anyone can learn to be a dementia caregiver, it is a big responsibility and can be very challenging at times.

As well as being a physically demanding job, caring for someone with dementia can be emotionally challenging too. Symptoms of dementia can include erratic moods, changes in behaviour and personality, memory loss, and difficulty communicating. All these symptoms can be upsetting to experience in a loved one and difficult to know how to deal with.

Those new to the role of dementia carer should consider taking a short dementia awareness course like the one that we offer here at Care Business Associate Training. This will help them to prepare them for what to expect and equip them with strategies for effectively communicating with and caring for someone with dementia.

What does a dementia caregiver do?

A dementia caregiver is responsible for the health and wellbeing of a person with dementia, providing both physical and mental support.

Every person with dementia is different, experiences different symptoms, and has different care requirements, so the role of a dementia caregiver can vary.

Some people with dementia may only require an hour or two of care a day, whilst others may require more intensive live-in care.

Some responsibilities that a dementia caregiver may take on include:

• Helping with day-to-day tasks and activities.
• Providing care that allows the person to live as independently as possible.
• Ensuring the person with dementia is living in a safe environment.
• Helping with shopping and errands.
• Helping with personal hygiene.
• Food preparation.
• Providing companionship.
• Household chores.
• Administering medication.

As well as differing from one person to the next, the care requirements of someone with dementia are likely to change over time as the condition progresses.

Where to find a dementia caregiver?

Unfortunately, it is not always possible for family members to provide the level of care required for loved ones with dementia, particularly in the later stages of the condition.

In these instances, professional dementia care services can be provided by:

• A residential care home.
• A specialist dementia care unit.
• Adult daycare centres.
• A home care service.
• A live-in care service.

You can find out more about the different dementia care options, charities, and support available on the NHS website here.

CBAT dementia awareness training

Becoming a dementia caregiver is not something that you can easily throw yourself into without first receiving some help and training to equip you with the knowledge and skills you require to carry out your role effectively.

Here at Care Business Associates, we provide a professional dementia awareness training course that is suitable for those who have a friend or relative with dementia and want to know more about how they can help them.

Our course covers key information about dementia to help you to understand the condition better and professional, medical advice and strategies to help with supporting and caring for someone with the condition.

Key topics covered in the course include:

• What is dementia and what causes it?
• The different types of dementia.
• Other conditions with similar symptoms.
• Symptoms of dementia.
• How to support and care for someone with dementia.

The 3-hour course is run online, making it easily accessible to anyone, no matter where in the world you live. Our course is taken by healthcare organisations as well as individuals and is run by experienced trainers with real-life, practical experience working in healthcare.

The course is hosted live online in a virtual classroom which you can join from any location with an internet connection using your computer, tablet, or smartphone. We use advanced virtual classroom technology to ensure that our online training sessions are engaging and interactive.

Ready to book your place on our dementia awareness course? Book your place on our Dementia Awareness course today.

Or, if you’d like to find out more about our dementia awareness training first, give our team a call on 01772 816 922 or email admin@cba-training.co.uk.