At The Ness Dementia Centre, our years within the care profession have allowed us to develop a unique approach to dementia care. Many carers or family members that get in contact have questions around whether our centre is more dedicated to dementia respite care or therapy. The answer? … Both!
In this article, we have covered some of the key points around both respite and therapy and how we support our members with our combined approach.
What is dementia respite care?
Respite care, also known as replacement care, is a service usually offered by care professionals to provide carers or relatives with a break from the day-to-day pressures of caring for someone. In our case, we are supporting individuals who are living with dementia, whether it’s at an early stage or advanced.
It’s important that carers have ‘me time’
Caring for someone with dementia, although hugely rewarding, can be tough and requires attention at all times. In some cases, carers can’t provide individuals with the full care they need, this may be due to time restraints, physical ability or available resources.
Respite care can be offered in many ways, including:
- Day care
- Home enablement
- Short term care home or nursing home stay
Did you know? Visiting a dementia specialist day centre regularly doubles the amount of time you can remain at home. Read more of our dementia facts here.
What is dementia therapy?
Once someone has decided that respite care is required, and they’ve chosen which service will suit the individual best, ensuring they are provided with the right level of dementia therapy is the next step.
Specialist dementia therapies and activities should be provided to any individual living with dementia and they will be designed in conjunction with the Ageing & Dementia Research Centre. As no two people living with the disease will have the same experience, it’s never a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
The dementia therapy that’s offered should work to improve their social interaction with others, their confidence, communication, and physical fitness.
How do we combine the respite and therapy?
We are dedicated to providing dementia day care that combines respite and therapy. We offer comfort and support to members and their families at the centre, as well as activities and therapies that help our members stay active and independent for as long as possible.
We also ensure that we work closely with the members’ key carer or their loved ones, as our learnings can then be used at their home so that they are continuing to develop.
You can read more about our innovative approach to dementia therapy and dementia respite care here.
What makes The Ness Dementia Centre different?
Through collaboration with leading institutes and academic bodies, and the application of cutting‑edge technology, The Ness Dementia Centre stands at the very forefront of dementia research.
Our care professionals work closely with each member to establish a unique menu of activities that will suit their personality and individual needs. We put a lot of time in ensuring that our staff are highly experienced and fully trained, so that they can comfortably personalise their care plan and make educated recommendations.
Looking for an alternative to the main dementia centre?
We understand that in some cases, bringing an individual into a large room with new people can be daunting, and may not always have a positive impact on that individual’s development. For this reason, we have introduced The Ness Shed. An intimate, safe space for members to explore their creativity in a smaller group.
Available to the local community, The Ness Shed will provide support with activities such as:
- Pottery
- Carpentry
- Fixing
- Designing and creating
New to 2019, The Ness Shed will be opening in May, call our team on 01626 774 799 to find out more.
Want a free session for your relative?
Setting into a new routine can be a difficult transition, but our care professionals are always prepared for this change and will offer you optimum support.
We would always advise a new member to attend a free trial session, to get to know the centre and see how we work…
Get in contact here, or call our staff on 01626 774 799. Don’t forget, we regularly update our Facebook page with photos from the centre and all the exciting activities we get up to.