Alzheimer’s Care Plan
What is an Alzheimer’s Care Plan?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and the one we support people living with the most. Approximately 60-70% of people living with dementia are living with Alzheimer’s, according to the World Health Organisation, so it’s vital that once diagnosed, you have a plan of care in place to ensure you live your very best life possible. The person’s care needs will be assessed and documented in a plan of support which outlines how their needs will be met.
Why Should I Have a Care Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition, meaning that your condition will deteriorate as time goes on. This doesn’t mean you can’t live well with dementia though; in fact, it is recognised that this is very possible with the right support in place, according to organisations such as the NHS. “With the right help and support when you need it, many people can, and do, live well with dementia for several years.” Having a care plan for your daily routine will positively support your ability to live well with dementia in the comfort, familiarity, and security of your own home.
Do I Need a Care Plan?
While many people live well with dementia, it is likely that most will eventually need additional care and support. The beauty of remaining in your own home, though, is that the care and support come to you. This ensures that your routines continue as always, which is important to help limit anxiety and confusion. Additionally, the familiar environment of a beloved home and the comfort of one-to-one support from a dementia specialist carer will make all the difference to the quality of your daily life.
What Does an Effective Care Plan for Alzheimer’s Include?
When a person is receiving care within their own home, they will not only have their own support needs detailed in their care plan but also their carer’s training and well-being needs. This will include such details as how the carer can support the person at mealtimes to ensure they receive adequate nutrition and hydration, and if the carer needs additional training to safely carry out the person’s manual handling. It will also include plans for carer cover, so that carers get a well-earned break without a risk to continuity of care. In addition, if the person living with dementia has a local authority ‘personal budget’ in place to pay for their care the details will also be included.
How I Can Create My Own Care Plan
It’s important that all of your needs are taken into account when your care plan is produced. The Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) explains that to ensure a care plan is person-centred, it should be “developed with the person. The conversation is led by the person who knows best about their needs and preferences.” Therefore, person-centred care planning dictates that you are kept at the very centre of your care-planning journey, and every local authority, care agency, and private care company should adhere to producing person-centred care plans.
At Helping Hands, person-centred care planning is all we know. We keep you at the centre of your entire assessment experience to ensure that you (and your loved ones where appropriate) will always feel in control of the care that’s being delivered. Our CQC regulated service ensures that we only deliver the very best care, planned to your exact requirements, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your changing needs.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Helping Hands can support you with every aspect of your daily life when you’re living with Alzheimer’s. Because we’ve been supporting people in their everyday lives since we were established in 1989, we really understand how important it is for you to remain at home for your care and support. We work incredibly hard to make sure you live your very best life possible with the support of your carers, and because we offer both visiting and live-in care to our customers, we are as flexible as you need us to be. We’ll match you with a carer who will quickly become a friend and we’ll manage every aspect of your care from the first moment you contact us. Whether you need us for medication and personal care support, housework, or to help you make the most of your local community, we can take care of everything you need to be as comfortable as possible in the home you love.
Fully regulated by the CQC / CIW
All of our visiting and live-in care is fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales. This ensures that we will always deliver the very highest quality of care to you and your loved ones, consistently across our entire branch and regional network. Because we own all of our 150 branches across England and Wales and we’ve never been an agency, we can guarantee what other care companies can’t – consistency of care. You can’t get that assurance with franchised companies or introductory care agencies.