Home Care: Dementia Care

Home Care: Dementia Care

Dementia is not a specific disease. It is actually an overall term used to describe a group of symptoms specific to memory loss and other cognitive impairments that are serious enough to interfere with Consumer’s daily activities.

Effective dementia care requires strong leadership and support by our care coordinator / clinical manager as well as by support workers.

Our care team are trained to adopt and implement a person centred approach to care. This provides the Consumer with support at a level required to maintain their well-being. In providing the necessary support for Consumers, the service encourages the Consumers to maintain their independence, preferences and chosen lifestyle as much as possible.

dementia care
The following strategies may include in the care plan:
  • Culturally appropriate care
  • Involvement of with relatives and friends as nominated
  • Minimizing stress
  • Daily orientation to time, place and people
  • Continuity of daily routines and schedule
  • Familiar frame of reference
  • Effective pain management
  • Using minimal restraint
  • Accessing to specialist supports
  • Focusing on ability, not disability
  • Pay attention to nutrition
  • Helping with well-being
  • Supporting perception and safety
  • Client supervision to prevent wandering
Case Study

Ruth is a happy and cheerful lady, 82 years of age.

She has difficulty in communicating and becomes frustrated when words don't flow easily for her.

Ruth tends to engage in intrusive behaviour throughout the day: snatching things from people's hands, taking hats off people's head and walking away with handbags that don't belong to her.

Case Study

She used to be actively involved with her Catholic Church, assisting with fetes and church decoration.

Ruth loves music, especially country music; she used to be a good 'line' dancer.

She is frequently agitated in the afternoons when she insists on 'going home'.

Goals:
  • Promote effective two-way communication.
  • Improve intrusive behaviour with diversionary strategies.
  • Elicit a positive response from Ruth to planned activities.
Interventions:
  • Support Worker will communicate with Ruth in a calm and relaxed manner, giving her ample time to express herself and offering empathetic encouragement.

  • Ruth will be engaged in a variety of ADLs (activities of daily living) regularly to diminish difficult behaviour e.g.

    a. having hair combed and 'set'

    b. hanging out clothes to dry

    c. folding clothes

    d. wiping and dusting shelves

    e. tidying out handbag

    f. washing and drying dishes under supervision

  • Support Worker will take Ruth for a walk and/or engaging her in conversation to distract her from cognitive stress.
  • At least 3 times a week, Ruth will be escorted to an activity she really enjoys; such as dancing with support worker to the sound of country music.
  • Ruth will be actively engaged in 'helping' the Support Worker to prepare for Church Services e.g. picking and arranging flowers.