It’s only natural that you have questions

Sundowning is a term often used to describe a decline in mood or an increase in agitation that can be experienced by those living with dementia, towards the end of the day. Sundowning can present itself in the form of distress, agitation and frustration, or even as hallucinations or delusions where the individual believes something upsetting to be true. 

Whilst it is called sundowning, it is not necessarily connected to the sun going down, but may be the result of fatigue, overstimulation, medication side effects or an unmet physical need. Sticking to a reassuringly familiar routine, and trying to understand what the individual is attempting to communicate through their behaviour, can be helpful in reducing or managing instances of sundowning.

The term ‘dementia’ refers to diseases of the brain, one of which is Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dementia can take many forms, depending upon which part of the brain is affected. It can be helpful to think of dementia as a set of fairy lights – some bulbs may light up fully, and be completely unaffected, whereas other bulbs may flicker or not emit any light, indicating where damage has occurred. The location and extent of damage dictates the type and severity of dementia symptoms which an individual lives with. 

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive condition, and one of the more commonly-recognised forms of dementia in the UK. Those living with Alzheimer’s often experience difficulties with memory and decision-making, and can also experience changes in their mobility and visual perception. Changes in behaviour, such as low mood and sundowning, are also associated with this type of dementia.

You can find out more here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ 

Combining independent living with person-centred support can be a really good option for people with learning disabilities. It enables them to have their own space and be their own person, whilst receiving the learning disabilities support they need from their visiting care team in their own home. This combination of independence and expert support is often referred to as supported living.

The cost of supported living for learning disabilities is calculated by adding up living costs (such as rent, household bills and groceries) and the cost of the individual’s bespoke package of learning disability care. Depending upon the individual’s circumstances, they may be eligible for financial assistance with one or both of these elements of their total supported living expenses. They may also meet the criteria for Extra Care Housing (ECH) through their Local Authority, which consists of self-contained accommodation, such as an accessible flat or bungalow, within a supported housing scheme, with 24/7 on-site support staff available.

There is no single approach to caring for people with learning disabilities, as a learning disability can affect different people in different ways, and with a different severity of symptoms.

Someone with a mild learning disability may only need minimal support to live a full and fulfilling life, perhaps assistance with securing employment or a voluntary placement, or help to understand and manage their household bills. By contrast, someone with a severe or profound learning disability may need round-the-clock, specialist learning disability care to manage all aspects of their daily life.

As a result of this, there are a wide variety of services available for learning disabilities. These can include everything from positive behaviour support to manage behaviours that challenge, to assistance transitioning from child to adult learning disability care services, or help to enable an adult with learning disabilities to make the move from hospital to a home of their own. There is also specific support available to assist individuals with daily tasks, with building life and social skills, and with short-term emergency support to help safely navigate a period of personal crisis.

All person-centred learning disabilities support services aim to build confidence, independence and life skills, supporting people with learning disabilities to live the life they choose.

Like all specialist care, learning disability support should be person-centred and tailored to the unique requirements of the individual, taking into account the tasks that they find challenging, as well as their ambitions and preferences in life. This is not so much of an adjustment to care, as an individually-tailored learning disabilities support plan which is designed to meet specific needs.

Caring for people with learning disabilities in their own home is about enabling and empowering them to live the life they choose – helping them to build the skills and confidence they need to become more independent, feel more in control of their life choices, and better able to communicate their needs and preferences.

By understanding the individual as a person, rather than a diagnosis, and using proactive, positive behaviour support, specialist learning disability care has the potential to empower, transform and change lives for the better.

Specialist dementia care is person-centred, meaning that it is completely tailored to the care and support needs of the individual who is living with dementia.

One of the most important aspects of dementia care, particularly for those where dementia presents itself as confusion and memory loss, is a safe, secure and stimulating environment. Somerset Care’s specialist dementia care homes have dedicated dementia care suites, where residents are supported to live as independently as possible, safe in the knowledge that their care needs are being met.

Our highly-qualified dementia care teams support those living with dementia to continue their existing hobbies and interests, and discover new pastimes which benefit their wellbeing, physical and mental health.

Different people are affected by dementia in different ways, and so the level and type of care they need will very much depend upon the symptoms they experience. Some may only require a little extra support to carry out daily tasks, whilst others may need specialist nursing care to remain safe and well, particularly if they already live with a long-term or complex medical condition.

Residential care can often be beneficial for dementia patients, as specialist dementia care homes will be set up specifically to accommodate their needs, with care which can adapt and change as their symptoms change or develop. Dementia is often a progressive condition which means symptoms can worsen over time, so choosing a dementia care home which can meet your needs now, and in the future should they progress, is often a good idea.

Look for a home which is ‘dementia specialist’ (rather than ‘dementia-friendly’), and which has a fully-qualified dementia care team who understand the condition, and can support you with the care you need to live the life you choose.

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain, and can affect an individual’s ability to think, understand, remember or do certain things. Because every individual can be affected differently by dementia conditions, the type of care that is needed can also vary for each person.

A person-centred approach to dementia care considers the person as an individual, supporting them to manage the symptoms they experience so that they can live well with dementia. It is perfectly possible to live a full and fulfilling life with dementia, with the right support.

Our friendly and knowledgeable Enquiries Team are here to help you understand the dementia care options available, and support you to find person-centred care which your loved one’s needs.

There are a variety of different types of dementia care available for those diagnosed with the condition. These include care visits in your own home, dementia day care and respite breaks at a dementia-friendly residential care home, or long-term care as a resident in a specialist dementia care home. The right type and level of care will be tailored to an individual’s dementia symptoms – we call this person-centred dementia care.

At Somerset Care, we have carried out two decades of research into dementia with our university partners in Exeter and Bradford. We have used this to shape the support we provide to people living with dementia, helping them to live full and fulfilling lives, with as much independence as possible. We call this approach PETALS, which stands for: Person-Centred, Empowerment, Trust, Activities, Life History, and Stimulation.

Our mission is to support people to live the life they choose, regardless of their dementia diagnosis. Please visit our dementia care page, or contact our knowledgeable Enquiries Team, to find out how our specialist teams deliver tailored dementia support in safe and stimulating environments.

When we think of dementia, most people think of memory loss – perhaps being unable remember a name or word for something, or not recognising someone they know well. They may also struggle to retain new memories, meaning that they might be able to clearly remember something that happened in their childhood, but not recall what they had for breakfast the same day. These are all symptoms of dementia, but they are not the only ones.

Other symptoms may include difficulties with problem-solving, vision and language, as well as changes in mood or behaviour.

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain. The most commonly recognised of these diseases is Alzheimer’s, but with over 100 different types of dementia, we recognise just how complicated this disease can be in diagnosis, treatment and support.

The location of the damage to the brain from the disease will determine the affect on the individual’s everyday life, with different individuals affected in different ways. The Dementia Friends network explains this by way of a string of fairy lights, with each light representing a different area of the brain, which in turn represents a different skill, memory or function. When the brain is damaged by disease, some of these lights may flicker, dim or go out altogether, affecting the individual’s ability to think, understand, remember or do something. Symptoms often become progressively worse and more visible with time.

No two people living with dementia will be affected in exactly the same way, and something that one person might find easy, another might find extremely difficult. This is why our focus is on delivering person-centred support to help individuals live well with dementia.

Dementia is not a natural part of the aging process, and can affect anyone of any age. Whilst the disease mainly affects those aged 65 or over, Alzheimer’s Society estimates that of the 900,000 people in the UK currently living with dementia, more than 42,000 are under the age of 65.

Just as liver disease or kidney disease are not age-specific, neither is brain disease. Anyone of any age can be affected by brain disease, and therefore live with dementia.

Whilst there is no known cure for dementia, some of its symptoms can be effectively managed with medication and person-centred care, enabling the individual to live well with dementia.

We’re passionate about providing person-centred care which recognises the person living with dementia as an individual with individual needs, and supporting them to live the life they choose.

A person living with dementia is just that – a person first, who happens to experience the symptoms of dementia. Just like someone living with an illness of any kind, a person living with dementia doesn’t stop having hobbies, interests and things that they enjoy – they just might need a little more support to be able to do the things they love.

Our dementia care and support puts the person first, and helps them to live a full and fulfilling life regardless of the condition that they live with.

Nursing care refers to the higher levels of bespoke care which may be required to support individuals who are living with complex needs or long-term medical conditions. Specialist nursing care is available 24/7 from our team of qualified nurses based in our residential nursing homes.

The level of care an individual requires is referred to as a dependency level. Dependency levels are determined as part of the care assessment which is carried out before an individual moves into a care home. This assessment will look at everything from the support you may need with personal care or eating, to your medication requirements, mobility and wellbeing.

Dependency levels can go up or down, meaning that an individual could in theory move from requiring residential care to nursing care, or vice versa. For instance, an individual who has recently had a hip replacement operation may initially need a very high level of support, but this could reduce as their rehabilitation progresses and they become more mobile. Equally, an individual living with a degenerative condition may initially require residential care, but this requirement could increase to nursing care at a later date.