ALZHEIMER'S CARE
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, around 60% of diagnoses in the UK. Although it is a progressive condition, there are many ways in which we can help individuals to live well and lead a fulfilling life at home.
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Alzheimer’s disease causes irregular proteins to surround brain cells, whilst another protein damages their internal structure. Over time, chemical connections between brain cells are lost, causing cells to die.
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Research has suggested that changes in the brain cells can occur up to ten years before a person begins showing any symptoms of Alzheimer’s. These symptoms are usually mild at the beginning but can gradually get worse over time.
Hobbies & interests
Keeping hobbies and interests going in older age can be a really important factor in enhancing mental stimulation. It is something that we are passionate about at Halcyon Care and something we encourage our clients to do regularly.
Continuing with familiar activities can help those struggling with memory loss, a key symptom of dementia, to think more independently by creating an element of routine. It also helps to engage and focus their minds on something which may bring back fond memories, as well as developing new ones.
Our Care Specialists are passionate about pursuing the interests of our clients, and any wishes they may have for pastimes at home they will endeavour to fulfil. For example, whether it is board games or music, knitting or gardening, cooking or looking through collections or heirlooms; our Care Specialists will be more than happy to assist wherever they can.
It can be extremely beneficial to encourage such activities as it promotes brain activity and keeps the mind active. It also becomes something to look forward to during visits from our Care Specialists.
Support with health and wellbeing
Keeping your loved one healthy is our upmost priority. For those living with dementia it can become challenging to carry out general daily activities such as food shopping, kitchen organisation, food and meal preparation and maintaining the right sustenance and hydration.
Our Care Specialists can help to plan and prepare meals, assist with food shopping and encourage a healthy and hydrating diet. It is important to maintain a balanced and healthy diet, especially as symptoms of dementia progress, as eating certain food groups help to fuel the body.
We can help with general day-to-day preparation of food based on personal preferences, assist with the cooking and help clear and put away dishes to keep on top of the housework.
Where required we can also advise on any specific food or meal ideas based on cooking abilities and dietary requirements. We truly believe that having an enjoyable meal plan really does improve the quality of life and wellbeing of the individual.
Another aspect of our services includes helping your love one with mobility and strength building exercises. For those living with dementia, symptoms can often include experiencing trouble with balance, stability and judging distances. Our Care Specialists can demonstrate simple but effective short and gentle exercises, for example ankle rotations, grip strength exercises or even movement activities which help to improve stability and spatial awareness.
If your loved one is more active or mobile, we are also able to assist on any outdoor activities such as walking or gardening to receive some much-needed fresh air too.
Help for the family with caring responsibilities
We understand just how life changing it can be when a loved one begins showing signs of dementia, especially when diagnosed with dementia for the first time. Fortunately, there is a wealth of support and advice both for the individual and family members, including emotional support, guidance and handbooks as well as a helping hand from caring professionals.
Naturally, many family members’ instinct will be to take on a caring role and provide physical support for a loved one. For many it can be possible to fit such duties into everyday life, however we know that becoming an unpaid family carer can mean giving up a large part of your life and often requires 24-hour attention.
Halcyon Care are there equally as much for the families of our clients and hope that we can take some of the everyday pressures and responsibilities from those caring for a loved one. You can rest assured that our Care Specialists are chosen to fit seamlessly into the family unit, providing the essential day-to-day help so that you can get back to doing those things that you may have left behind.
Whether you may need help one day a week, or you require daily support, our Care Specialists are there to provide assistance in the mornings, over nights and everything in between.
We are always here for you, providing a friendly face to talk to, to listen, answer any queries or discuss any wishes you may have for your loved one.
Adapting the home
At Halcyon Care we can help to make your loved one’s living environment as comfortable as possible, to ensure they live a happy and fulfilling life at home for as long as possible.
For many individuals living with dementia everyday tasks and objects around the home can become confusing and disorientating.
As dementia progresses, an individual’s visuospatial skills and memory can tend to deteriorate. This could mean they have trouble doing things they could usually do every day or can no longer understand how to operate things around the home.
If your loved one experiences trouble with judging distances or using fundamental items around the home we can help to arrange their living space more effectively, so that they are able to continue living as independently as possible.
Our Care Specialists can advise on the use of suitable aids around the home to help with mobility or visit your loved ones in the mornings and evenings to help them with daily routines and tasks.
If you think a loved one could benefit from specialist care and support from home, please get in touch with our friendly team to discuss our personalised, high quality care.