Alzheimer's Support at Home
Alzheimer's disease affects everybody differently, so the support has to be built around the person rather than the diagnosis. We help people living with Alzheimer's stay settled at home, and we help families understand what is changing and what to do next.
Support that adapts as things change
In the early stages, someone living with Alzheimer's may need very little practical help. What they often need is company, reassurance, and a reliable person who does not get flustered when the same question arrives for the fourth time that morning.
As the condition progresses, the balance shifts. Tasks that were straightforward become confusing, and the support needs to grow with that. We review things with the family rather than waiting for something to go wrong, so changes can be absorbed gradually instead of arriving all at once.
We are honest about the limits of what home care can do. Alzheimer's is a progressive condition and support cannot change that. What good support can do is make the days calmer and more comfortable, reduce avoidable distress, and give the family room to be family rather than full-time carers.
What support might include
Support is agreed with you and the person themselves wherever possible, and written into a care plan before it starts.
- Gentle prompting and help with washing and dressing
- Preparing meals and drinks, and sitting with someone while they eat
- Medication prompts in line with our policies and staff training
- Keeping to familiar daily routines and timings
- Companionship, music, photographs and conversation
- Light household tasks and help with shopping
- Agreed support attending appointments
- Reassurance and calm company when someone is unsettled
Communication that reduces distress
Much of the skill in supporting someone with Alzheimer's is in how you speak, not what you do. We approach from the front so we are not a surprise, use the person's name, and give one instruction at a time. We allow long pauses for a reply rather than filling the silence.
When someone says something that is not accurate, we do not correct them. Being told you are wrong, repeatedly, is humiliating and frightening, and it does not restore the memory. Instead we respond to the emotion. If your mum is asking where her mother is, she is likely feeling unsafe; reassurance and a change of scene usually help more than a fact.
Working alongside the family
You will usually notice changes before we do, and we will notice things in the home that you might not. Sharing that picture openly is what keeps support working. With the person's consent we will talk to you about how visits are going and raise anything that worries us.
We also encourage families to keep doing the parts they want to keep doing. If you want to be the one who does Sunday lunch, we will make sure our visits leave space for that rather than crowding it out.
If you are concerned about a new or sudden change in someone's memory, confusion or behaviour, please contact their GP. We are a care provider and cannot diagnose, assess or treat any medical condition.