Dementia care

Anchor recognise a person with dementia is, first and foremost, a person – unique and with a rich history of experiences, abilities, skills, knowledge, preferences, desires and personality.

The term “dementia” is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. Symptoms include loss of memory, confusion, problems with speech and understanding and differ from person to person. Find out more about dementia and how to support a loved one with dementia.

All of Anchor’s residential care homes have access to a team of dementia specialists and carers are trained to provide tailored dementia care that enhances the quality of life.

Responding to individual dementia care needs

We care for residents living with dementia as individuals. By responding to the individual and supporting what they can do with a personalised care plan, we look for opportunities to build on their strengths and abilities to find ways to compensate for losses brought about by dementia. Our approach to dementia care respects the uniqueness of each person rather than focusing on the diagnosis of dementia.

Life story

We use the resident’s life story to build a picture of their preferences, lifestyle, history, family, likes and dislikes. Our carers are trained in completing detailed care plans with the help of residents, their family and friends. These plans are used daily and help to maintain the identity and dignity of the person as the dementia progresses, providing important information, such as how they like to spend their time.

Life story supports the person in expressing themselves by talking about their lives and experiences. For those providing care and support, it enables them to see the person rather than the symptoms of the illness and to tailor meaningful activities and daily life accordingly.

Life story is also used in our approach to wellness and meaningful activity for people living with dementia. Find out more about how we support the people who live with us to continue doing all the things they love.

Making the most of mealtimes

Recent research has shown that a calm and homely environment encourages residents to eat, whereas larger, nosier environments can be distracting and even distressing to someone with dementia. This is why in many of our care homes offering dementia care we have created smaller dining areas which feel more intimate and appealing to our residents. Residents can also choose where they’d like to eat, in their own room or with others in the shared dining spaces.

Mealtimes are a great opportunity for social interaction and involvement. We ensure that our décor helps to stimulate appetite, whilst our carefully considered menus offer healthy, tasty and nutritious choices every day.

Find out more about how we make the most of mealtimes in all of our care homes here.

Maintaining close bonds

Strong relationships are fundamental to everyone’s happiness and wellbeing. These relationships can be more difficult for a person with dementia to maintain as memory and communication skills diminish. Maintaining close bonds with families and friends is actively encouraged in our care homes, and visitors are most welcome any time and can join residents in activities and for meals. Our dementia teams and carers can also offer support to relatives of our residents living with dementia by providing access to information and advice.