Dementia Care in Lewisham & Southwark

FAQs

• Which towns and postcodes do the Lewisham & Southwark team service?

  Our office provides care for people at home in the following areas:

  Peckham, Camberwell, Catford, Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Mottingham, Lewisham, New Cross Gate, Hither Green, New Eltham, Grove Park, Kennington, Nunhead, Horn Park, Ladywell, Brockley, Walworth, Southend, Coldharbour, Deptford, New Cross, Chinbrook, Old Kent Road, Catford South, Elephant and Castle

  If your town doesn’t appear above please check the postcodes below to see if we cover your area:

  SE16 2, SE8 3, SE1 2, SE16 6, SE8 5, SE17 3, SE6 1, SE9 3, SE15 3, SE6 3, SE13 6, SE16 5, SE15 4, SE13 5, SE16 7, SE1 4, SE15 5, SE14 6, SE15 6, SE4 2, SE16 4, SE12 0, SE17 2, SE15 1, SE9 4, SE17 1, SE13 7, SE4 1, SE5 0, SE16 3, SE1 3, SE1 5, SE6 2, SE14 5, SE1 6, SE6 4, SE5 7, SE15 2, SE12 9, SE8 4, SE11 4

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• Is Home Instead Lewisham & Southwark a locally owned home care organisation?

  Home Instead Lewisham & Southwark is one of 250 locally owned offices that collectively form Home Instead UK. Together, we care for 16,000 clients, delivering one million hours of home care each month. This unique combination of community-focused local offices and the resources of a national network enables us to provide personalised, relationship-led care while leading research and innovation that is transforming the experience of aging. Our services include companionship care, personal care, specialist care (including dementia, palliative, and Parkinson’s), and live-in care.

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• What are the benefits of dementia care at home?

  With the right care and support, a person living with dementia can be as independent as possible. Dementia home care can enable them to live happily and securely in their own home, in familiar surroundings, surrounded by people they know.

• I have dementia / my loved one has dementia. Can you help me?

  Yes. We understand how difficult it can be caring for someone living with dementia but we have years of experience in helping families cope with the situation at home. Our City & Guilds Assured dementia training programme ensures that our Care Professionals are fully equipped to provide exceptional care for individuals living with all types of dementia.

• What is the most common type of of dementia in the UK?

  Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, followed by Vascular dementia and then dementia with Lewy Bodies.

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• What are some of the possible symptoms of dementia?

  • Difficulties with problem solving
  • Memory impairment
  • Memory lapses
  • Struggle to find words
  • Difficulty processing information
  • Difficulty making sense of what is seen
  • Recognising people and places
  • Changes in mood and behaviour

• Will my loved one have to give up their pet now they have been diagnosed with dementia?

  When someone is diagnosed with dementia, it is often assumed that keeping their beloved pet is impossible. This is not necessarily the case. Studies have shown that pets have actually been known to increase the health of those with dementia while providing them with a friend to spend their time with. Owning a cute and cuddly companion can even be an essential part of their daily routine. Before jumping to any conclusions, it may be beneficial to review all of your options when it comes to this important decision.

  An unexpected diagnosis can be frightening or difficult, and some might discover that they want their pet to remain by their side. After considering the following factors, you may find that there are other alternatives to immediately giving up a best friend.

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• How can I help my loved one when they have dementia?

  For people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s, lack of stimulation and boredom can be one of the most frustrating things. It’s important to provide activities that engage and bring pleasure to people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

  Stimulating activities can help keep them in high spirits and prevent them from developing depression, whilst lessening anxiety and irritability.

  Activities should aim to:

  • Stir memories and allow them to reminisce about their life
  • Foster emotional connections with others – contact with others is vital
  • Encourage self-expression
  • Make them feel more engaged with life
  • Help them feel productive

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• My loved one with Dementia has begun to develop aggressive behaviour, can you give me any advice?

  If you have a relative with dementia – perhaps you are their carer – you may be aware that at some point you might find yourself dealing with aggressive behaviour from them. This is a prospect that many people fear, but there are ways to cope with such challenging behaviours.

   

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• Are there warning signs that I or my loved one are getting dementia?

  The early stages of dementia are not always obvious, and symptoms and problems might develop slowly. To add to these difficulties, early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia are frequently easy to dismiss as a normal sign of ageing. However, if you know what to look out for, you can keep an eye on yourself and your loved ones and identify symptoms early. This will allow you to get the medical advice early on and work out care ahead of time.

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• This is my loved ones first Christmas after being diagnosed with dementia, is there any advice you can give?

  For a person with dementia, Christmas poses challenges that include disruption to a routine, confusing changes to décor and the layout of a home, and the pressure to be social over extended periods of time. When somebody’s memory or cognitive skills are deteriorating, they will find these tasks especially difficult; it is important that they are catered for in the most sensitive ways possible.

  By looking at each potential challenge in turn, we have suggested some ways to manage these difficulties and have a successful Christmas without causing your loved one with dementia distress or exacerbating their confusion.

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• What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?

  There are many types of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is simply one form of dementia.

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• Where did the name ‘Alzheimer’s’ come from?

  Dr. Alois Alzheimer is credited with discovering Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Alzheimer was a well-known and popular German physician and researcher working in the early 1900s. Physicians and scientists at the time had a fascination with the human brain and were studying it to better understand how it worked.

  Dr. Alzheimer met Auguste Deter, the first person who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Auguste told Dr. Alzheimer, “I have forgotten myself”. He brought her to the doctor when she started to have memory loss and delusions. Dr. Alzheimer studied her for several years, noting her decline.

  Because of Dr. Alzheimer’s discovery, the disease was named after him.

• I have Alzheimer’s disease/my loved one has Alzheimer’s disease. Can you help me?

  Certainly. We know how challenging it can be caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, however we have years of experience in helping families cope with the situation at home. Our City & Guilds Assured dementia training programme means our Care Professionals are trained to care for people living with all the different types of dementia.