HOME Instead East Northants started in 2010 and is proud to be Dementia Champions working heavily in the community to help more people in East Northamptonshire and North Bedford become dementia friendly.
Dementia Action Week is 20 – 26 May and Marie and Lucy from Home Instead will be going on tour across East Northamptonshire and North Bedfordshire’s major towns and villages in the firm’s branded car for the week.
They will be giving out information to people who would like to know more about dementia, scams, nutrition, and how to prevent hospitalisation because the onset of dementia can affect all these areas.
Dementia. It’s the word that can strike fear and dread into the hearts of families. That’s because dementia often takes away the very things that people treasure most; their identity, their memories and their ability to communicate.
Statistics from the Alzheimer’s Society show that there are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over a million by 2025. This will soar to two million by 2051.
If we can help give people an understanding of what to look out for, an early diagnosis can help benefit the person being diagnosed and their family and friends, helping them to support them as they deteriorate.
Every person living with dementia is unique and no two people have the same journey with their condition. What is certain though is that cognitive impairment will develop through the different stages of dementia. There is no definitive timeline to the stages of dementia, but the following are typical descriptions of what happens through someone’s journey:
Often the very early stages are only apparent in hindsight. At the time, things that happen are put down to old age, over tiredness, stress or other factors. The onset of dementia is usually gradual, and it is often impossible to identify an exact moment when the symptoms, such as memory problems, began to appear.
An early diagnosis can give you certainty as to whether it is dementia or one of the many other conditions that can lead people to think of dementia. These other conditions that give similar symptoms are thyroid problems, diabetes, UTIs and vitamin deficiency of B12 and other B vitamins. So, this is why we discuss nutrition. We know that people with dementia can forget to eat or might eat the wrong types of food for maintaining good health. Gentle prompting and providing full and nutritious meals can help to ensure their health doesn’t deteriorate through malnutrition. Using different techniques to help with recognition and digestion of food is important.
The middle stages of dementia are when the problems of memory loss, cognitive impairment or confusion may become more apparent and may have a greater impact on a person’s ability to maintain independence and take care of themselves. They may forget a familiar face, repeat themselves and have problems sequencing tasks such as getting dressed or taking a bath.
The later stage is when a person is unable to manage usual activities of daily living and requires round the clock support to carry out necessary tasks such as eating, dressing and maintaining personal hygiene. Sometimes, the effects of the dementia may cause someone to become unable to move easily or consume food and drinks unaided. It is important to remember that throughout every stage, there is a way to provide dignified care and support and encourage someone to continue with social interaction.
One way of doing this is capturing a loved one’s life story and memories as it can be a useful tool when a loved one is distressed. As the dementia takes hold, short-term memory loss makes it harder to remember things you have just done, but the long-term memories of when they were young become more real. We can change the subject to a memory that the person has from their past this can help a distressing situation. It also makes for an enjoyable activity to do and revisit, especially getting the grandchildren involved. Recording events, feelings and special moments from times gone by can also help you understand different situations as the dementia progresses. It is also a lovely way to commemorate the person and their life long achievements and pass down the family line.
For more information get in contact with Lucy Darnell or Marie Franks on 01933 678775.