Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe an array of progressive neurological disorders, the most common form being Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia affects more than 850,000 people in the United Kingdom alone. If you are a professional carer or a family carer this article will help you understand more about this disease and how to manage it.
Dementia is not that easy to identify in the early stages. The first telling signs actually start to show 20 years in advance, yet they are very discreet. The main symptom of dementia is memory lapses. If someone is struggling to remember recent events or activities it may be a sign that they will develop dementia in the future.
Constantly repeating questions or forgetting that certain question has already been answered may be an early sign of dementia also. Other signs to keep in mind when thinking about dementia may be psychotic events or depression.
The main symptom of dementia is memory loss. As dementia progresses people stop recognising their friends and family and generally everyone around them. They may not even be able to recognise their carers. People with dementia will not remember what they had for breakfast or what they’ve done with their keys, for example.
While their short term memory is very bad, their long term memory is actually very good. Someone with dementia will be able to recall something that happened in their youth, but will not remember what happened a day before.
Dementia can be managed. Whether you are a professional carer or a family carer caring for a parent or grandparent, there are ways in which you can prompt their memory and slow down their cognitive decline.
Going back to the above point, people with dementia have very bad short term memory, but their long term memory is actually quite good. Communicating with a person suffering from dementia is essential in maintaining a healthy mind and helping to prompt their memory.
Talks about their past, such as memories from childhood or memorable events, will help them remember and get them excited to talk. One helpful tip is to create a life story. A life story is an album of pictures or certain life memorabilia which you can look at with the dementia sufferer.
Having them look at this book of memories will help them recall their past through emotion.
Emotion is deeply linked with memories. The same system can be applied to music. Music therapy is another great way of helping someone with dementia remember events from their past. Playing some of their favourite songs from their past will help them recall life events and even keep their attention focused on that.
Memory and brain function is deeply linked to physical health too. It’s essential that you keep the person suffering fro dementia active daily. People with dementia have the tendency to become complacent and lose their will to live in extreme cases. It’s essential that you engage them in one form of physical activity daily. You should make sure that they do something to the best of their abilities. This form of exercise can simply be a light walk in the park. Whatever form of physical activity it is, it’s essential that is happens.
Guardian Carers deal on a daily basis with people who suffer from dementia. Our dementia carers are highly trained and qualified people who can manage difficult behaviours. If you or someone you know is looking for a dementia carer you can be ensured that Guardian Carers can provide highly competent people, fit to be in your home.
Our dementia carers can be hired on a temporary or permanent basis. You can choose to hire a dementia carer to live in your home or live out and come in whenever they are needed, on a part-time or full-time basis.
Guardian Carers has some of the most stringent vetting procedures for dementia carers. We do not accept any carer with an experience lesser than 2 years. After being drafted the dementia carer will go through an extensive face to face interview where their experience and qualifications are discussed at length.
Once the interview stage is completed we then check 2 references verbally. We also ensure that the dementia carers have an enhanced DBS check, also known as a Police check, which will allow us to know that they have a clean background.
With Guardian Carers you can rest assured knowing that you have the best dementia carers possible in your home. Our dementia carers can actually be met face to face even before you make the decision to hire them. This ensures that the dementia carers not only look good on paper, but they are a great personality match too.
Finding the right dementia carer can be a very daunting task but Guardian Carers’ mission is to make this search easier. We do all the work for you. We search for the best dementia carer with the right qualifications and the years of experience you want. We also take care of all the paperwork, payroll and contracts so that you can simply focus on welcoming your new fantastic dementia carer into your home.
Give us a call. We are ready to help. We believe we can find your perfect carer.