Clare McCourt, Manager at Alderbrook Care Home, shares her thoughts on the responsibility care professionals have to educate society on how to connect with people battling dementia.
The Alzheimer’s Society tells us that one in three people born in the UK today will be diagnosed with dementia within their lifetime. Yet, the complexities of the condition and the capacity of dementia residents living in care homes is often misunderstood or underestimated. Opportunities for interaction are all around, they just look different to before, and unfortunately this shift places barriers between families leaving relatives feeling confused and saddened or even guilty for not knowing how to navigate a condition like dementia alongside someone they love.
This situation often creates feelings of isolation on both sides but I believe it is possible to mitigate them. Our Resident Ambassador Scheme works to support families while empowering residents to retain autonomy and decision making skills for as long as possible. Our ambassadors are involved in many aspects of the care home from participating in staff interviews and assisting with home tours to attending regular relatives’ meetings. This not only ensures that residents remain central to their own life story but it provides hope for relatives that it’s possible to fulfil potential and remain engaged whilst living in a care home.
Advocating for other residents is also central to the scheme and has proved helpful for relatives witnessing the behaviour changes that dementia brings. Families become very upset to see their loved one acting in ways they cannot understand and take great comfort in speaking with our resident ambassadors who offer a unique perspective. As a group, we explore different routes to connection and my staff gently guide families’ expectations on what a “good visit” may look like. For example, we explain that sitting with a loved one while they watch TV or doze can be a meaningful visit for someone living with dementia, it doesn’t need to be about conversation or big activities, which is often the pressure that relatives feel. We know that the majority of our residents with limited capacity appreciate the presence of their family and friends during a visit, despite being unable to hold a conversation, and our ambassadors help relatives to realise that.
The positive impact of our Resident Ambassador Scheme has even gone a step further into forming a specific resident and relatives group. The group discusses anything and everything about the care home from facilities, menus and activities with the aim of sharing ideas to ensure Alderbrook operates well and feels like home to all. The resident and relatives group also works on projects together, most recently a gardening project, where they have come together to organise new planting areas, grow strawberries and position bird feeders to encourage nature into our extensive grounds. The dual approach of our resident ambassador scheme is ultimately to encourage residents and their families to feel comfortable in each other’s company, despite their differences, while providing the time and space to reflect upon and accept their loved one’s new normal.
With dementia now being the biggest health and social care crisis in the UK it is crucial that we find new ways, like the gardening project, to reconnect families touched by the condition. If not, feelings of loneliness will grow and wider society will see a diagnosis before a person. We have big plans to champion this further through our new campaign – Talk to Me – which will provide more help and resources to the families and residents we support. But, for now, we ask all care professionals supporting families touched by dementia to encourage them to embrace the challenging yet wonderful moments still ahead because although memories may fade, feelings never do.
alderbrookcarehome.co.uk
