Nursing Homes Dementia

Nursing homes are a feature in most towns and cities across the UK. In those nursing homes, dementia is the most common condition suffered by residents; it is thought that around two thirds of residents suffer from some form of the condition. This is because someone suffering with the effects of dementia needs to be provided with care 24 hours a day by nurses that have the experience to do so. Friends and family members of sufferers often just can`t give this level of care and trying to do so can be extremely stressful and testing.

Dementia nursing homes

In nursing homes, dementia patients can be well catered for, most have dedicated areas that provide care and some dedicate full homes to sufferers of the condition. Trained and qualified nurses can provide specific one to one care to each individual, with each one receiving a named key worker and their own dedicated personal plan. As well as providing treatment nurses are encouraged to engage residents as friends and always treat patients with the upmost respect and dignity.

Most nursing homes, dementia homes included will have an activity coordinator that create and organise fun activities for residents to get involved in, such activities can be:

• Painting and drawing
• Arts and crafts
• Gardening
• Exercise to music
• Reminiscence therapy

As-well as coordinated activities, residents are encouraged by nurses and staff to engage in social interaction with other residents and small daily tasks such as watering plants or helping to lay tables at meal times.

The one to one relationship of nurses and residents enables the nurse to discuss real life history and the way in which the resident used to life before the condition; this is done with help of family and friends. Learning about a resident’s history can improve the nurse’s knowledge of that resident and the understanding of what they want; this is beneficial for a common factor with dementia which is frustration.

Care costs

Costs will apply when placing a friend or relative in a nursing home, this will vary from place to place and on accommodation and duration of stay. In nursing homes dementia patients are entitled to have their care provided free of charge by the NHS with funding from the Registered Nursing Care Contribution (RNCC) fund. This will entitle the resident to receive care from a registered nurse supplied by the NHS. The RNCC will pay the care home for the nurse but not for the living costs these will needed to be paid by the resident.

Included in the costs of care are all of the things that are required for day to day living, these include:

• Council tax
• Utility bills
• Laundry
• Food and refreshments ( including all cooked meals)
• Private bedrooms
• 24 care needs
• Activities

In nursing homes, dementia suffers may be provided the option of extra care through speech and language therapy, occupational therapy or chiropody these will usually require extra costs. Items such as newspapers and magazines may also require extra payments.