Dementia Care
Home care for people with dementia
Living with dementia can be a incomprehensible experience, requiring significant lifestyle changes for the whole family. At Mountbatton Care our dementia care services can provide the essential support you need during this time. Our dementia care you can rely upon. Our dementia care you can trust.
We understand the emotional, social and practical challenges of living well with dementia. Gradually the world of the person with dementia and their family carers shrinks as the disease progresses. Maintaining a life outside of the home or indeed sharing the closeness you once had together can often become difficult. This together with the demands of practical care and support can leave you feeling isolated and exhausted.
Mountbatton care services sensitively respond to the individual needs of you and your family. Our flexible services are tailored to fit with your chosen lifestyle so you continue to enjoy the important things in your life.
Types of Dementia & Their Effects on the Brain
People often confuse the terms ‘dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’s disease’.
Dementia is the name given to a specific group of diseases which all cause a serious decline in the functioning of the brain. Whereas, Alzheimer’s disease refers to one specific type of dementia, and is the most common form.
Alzheimer’s
Most cases of dementia care needed for older people are the result of Alzheimer’s disease.
Chemical and structural changes cause brain cells to die.
Vascular or multi- infarct dementia.
The second most common form of dementia.
The person suffers a series of strokes that prevent oxygen reaching the brain causing the brain cells to die.
Dementia with Lewy bodies.
This form of dementia is rarer, affecting only 4% of the total number of people with dementia.
Abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies are present in the brain. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease because the symptoms are similar.
Frontotemporal dementia
Onset typically 45-65 years of age.
A build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain, leads to a progressive loss of brain cells.
You may think dementia is an inevitable ’fact’ of aging. This is not true. Age does not cause dementia, although the risk does significantly increase with age. Dementia can affect younger adults as well as older people.
There are currently about 800.000 people suffering from dementia in the UK and this figure is likely to increase to over a one million by 2021. Around 17,000 people under the age of 65 years have a form of dementia. About a quarter of people between the ages of 70 and 79 years are affected and this rises to one in six for people who are over 80 years of age.
Signs and symptoms of dementia
Signs and symptoms may vary depending upon the type of dementia and the area of brain cells affected. For example:
- More frequent memory loss, forgetful of familiar people, places or recent events
- Slower than usual thinking speed, difficulty finding the right words
- Periods of mental confusion
- Difficulty understanding or making decisions
- Impaired reasoning, inability to make judgements, plan or carry out tasks that require concentration
- Changes in personality or mood, disinhibited behaviour
- Increased apathy or lack of interest in their usual activities
- Withdrawn due to a loss of confidence or inability to manage everyday tasks and communication
- Hallucinations, hearing or seeing things that others don’t
- Loss of sense of time, people, places
Fronto-temporal dementia tends to affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain (the front and sides). We use the front of our brain for planning, organising and regulating our behaviour. So disease in this area is likely result in personality and behaviour change e.g. loss of inhibitions, becoming more impulsive or being withdrawn. Whereas, the temporal lobes organise memory and language, so disease in this area is more likely to cause difficulty communicating and remembering.
People suffering from dementia with Lewy bodies usually experience fluctuating cognition and recurring hallucinations.
Whilst dementia cannot be cured, the condition can be slowed down if it is caught early enough. Early diagnosis can also enable you to access the right dementia care. If you notice any of the following symptoms it is vital to seek medical help as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
There is no precise threshold between ‘mild cognitive impairment’ such as memory loss and a clinical diagnosis of dementia. In fact dementia can only be definitely diagnosed though a post mortem examination. So the GP will begin by finding out whether the symptoms are being caused by another treatable condition such as a urinary tract or chest infection, constipation, thyroid deficiency, brain tumour, depression, emotional upheaval or a side effect of medication.
Once other causes have been eliminated the GP is likely to make a referral to a specialist such as a neuro-psychologist or psychiatrist. They may:
- Talk to the person and people who are close to them
- Use a tool to test memory and thinking (such as the Mini Mental State Examination)
- Arrange a brain scan
- Carry out a physical examination
Care and support to stay well
Mountbatton Care can provide experienced staff to help you maintain your quality of life while remaining in your own home. We create a specialised dementia care plan with you. This might include:
Reminding or helping you to take your medicines to manage your symptoms
Support with bathing and/or dressing to keep you looking your best
Catheter care and continence management to maintain your dignity and comfort
Help to establish a regular exercise routine to improve mood and mobility and to strengthen muscles
Making sure you have plenty of fluids and a balanced diet with enough fresh fruit and vegetables and fibre to keep you healthy and avoid constipation
Assisting with routine household chores and shopping so your home life is as you would like it to be
Companionship, or helping you to be involved in social activities.
Our services provide the support and care you need to get you and your loved ones through the difficult days.
