TGCG - Condition Sheet - Dementia care (Scotland) - Flipbook - Page 2
EARLY STAGE DEMENTIA
At this stage our carers will focus on ensuring you are able to live as independently as possible with
the support you require, which will be provided in a way that looks to enhance your well-being.
Strategies can be put in place to support memory loss – writing to do lists, settling on one place to
keep certain items, like your wallet and keys, having a pad close by to take notes.
Lifestyle choices will be encouraged and actively promoted by our carer. Eating well and exercising
regularly, as well as keeping the brain active through puzzles, reading and socialising are all proven
to have a positive impact on well-being.
A person in the early stages of dementia is likely to experience changes in their mood and can
become anxious, depressed or more easily annoyed. Some may start to lose interest in things they
previously enjoyed. Our carers are trained to work with this situation and encourage and stimulate
positive attitude and thinking to lift spirits and enhance well-being.
MID STAGE DEMENTIA
While everyone’s journey with dementia is different, the signs of the middle stage of the condition
can mark the moment when changes to the care arrangements are necessarily. The middle stage
can be the longest and sometimes the most challenging for the person with the condition and
their family. Our professional carers are trained to identify changing care needs and move at your
pace, adapting their approach as needs increase. They can offer physical support, should you now
need help with bathing, dressing and eating, as well as encouraging gentle exercise that maintains
strength and mobility.
The carers employed by The Good Care Group are sensitive to emotions and respond positively
to any signs of distress, finding shared, simplified language that enables the person living with
dementia to communicate and express feelings.
LATE STAGE DEMENTIA
Dementia in all forms is a progressive condition and by the time it reaches later stages it is very
likely that you will need round-the-clock support. During this stage the person living with dementia
is likely to have become extremely frail, with severe memory loss and may well have trouble with
communicating, eating and even swallowing. They may also spend long periods of time inactive and
become prone to infections.
Communication is key at this stage. All our carers are trained to have meaningful interactions with
those they are caring for when speech is limited – eye contact, gestures or shared experiences all
provide ways to make a connection. Listening to a piece of music together can help someone feel
safe, connected and loved.
During late stage dementia more specialist medical care may be needed. Carers can draw on the
expertise of our in-house Consultant Admiral Nurse and Occupational Therapist. They proactively
use techniques required for safe moving, pre-empting medical issues, identifying infections that
reduce medical admission. For many our care is life changing with fewer falls, less infections and
reliance on antipsychotic drugs.
