How to Create a Dementia Care Plan with Your Family
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, the idea of care options and pathways can be overwhelming. Suddenly requiring continuous care from a family member or professional carer can come with worries about loss of independence and powerlessness, but a care plan can help the person with dementia remain in control of their daily life. A meticulous plan supports their sense of self-worth and well-being, which is of the utmost importance in dementia care.
But where do you start when curating such an important document? Today, we’ll explore how you can create a dementia care plan with your family’s involvement, why care plans are important, and how Country Cousins can help ensure the effectiveness of your finalised plan.
What Is a Dementia Care Plan?
A care plan is used for individuals who require care for various reasons, such as dementia. Care plans may be used for individuals receiving care in hospice settings, residential facilities, or in the comfort of their own homes. Plans are individualised to each person, creating a roadmap for care to ensure they get the best support and assistance possible.
A dementia care plan is specific to a person’s stage, symptoms and personal preferences. As dementia is a progressive disease, requirements will need to be adapted over time to accommodate changing symptoms. A care plan is an ongoing document that can be updated, ensuring your loved one continues to receive accurate, comprehensive care, regardless of the stage their condition is in.
How Can a Dementia Care Plan Help Your Family?
A common misconception about care plans is that they’re only for the use of care professionals. However, this isn’t always the case. Care plans can help the entire family better understand dementia and their loved one’s condition, ensuring the right care can be provided at the right time. A comprehensive care plan ensures that friends, family and caregivers are informed and up-to-date with relevant information at all times.
There are several ways a dementia care plan can help families of dementia patients:
- Ensures a person-centred approach
A dementia care plan is personalised to the person rather than their condition. This means that, instead of using vague terms and stereotypes surrounding the condition, the care plan will be full of relevant information on your loved one’s signs, symptoms, and stages of dementia.
The goal is to ensure a patient’s standards and wishes are met. The care plan should include details on their preferences, cultural and religious background, how this impacts their care needs, and their personal history. Tailoring the care plan to the person with dementia ensures their feelings, independence and dignity are respected.
- Constantly updated and reviewed
A dementia care plan is a living document, meaning it can be used, reviewed and updated as regularly as necessary. Carers often record the care given in the plan, along with other details needed to monitor the person and provide the best possible care. This helps family members learn exactly what care their loved one is receiving, how they’re responding to the current plan, and how they can help support carers.
- Outlines what to do during dementia-related situations
A care plan may include various procedures and plans to follow in the event of medical or emergency issues. For example, as dementia progresses from early to advanced stages, your loved one may start exhibiting signs of sundowning. Their care plan should outline the steps to take in this situation, ensuring their care can accommodate this new development while still adhering to their preferences and wishes.
- Identifies potential upcoming risks
A care plan should include a clear assessment of the risks that dementia patients are likely to face. This helps to reduce the probability of them occurring and alerts loved ones in advance. Families can read these in the care plan and be more vigilant in watching for risks.
Key Elements to Include in Your Dementia Care Plan
When creating a dementia care plan, several key elements must be addressed to ensure the plan is as accurate as possible. The aim is to help your family member remain independent, self-reliant and as comfortable as possible. When creating your care plan, remember to include:
Personal History
As family members, you know your loved one better than any healthcare professional. This means you can include more details of their personal history into the care plan, providing valuable insights into their wishes, needs, behaviour and cultural requirements.
Dementia patients often develop strong attachments to certain memories and family members. Including these in the care plan can make it much easier for professional carers to connect and bond with their loved ones. Likewise, some experiences may elicit feelings of anger or sadness, which should be avoided. You can include these in the care plan to keep your loved one as content and happy as possible.
When detailing personal history, include things like your loved one’s interests, hobbies, skills and favourite activities.
Physical Health and Well-Being
Dementia affects every aspect of life, including physical health and well-being. Not only can the condition make it more difficult for your loved one to move around independently, but it can also encourage them to make unhealthy life choices in regards to their diet and physical activity.
Include relevant information about your loved one’s dietary requirements, current mobility and exercise ability. The care plan can outline effective methods for maintaining or managing weight, as well as strategies for treating pain and ensuring adequate hydration to promote living well with dementia.
Memory and Cognitive Function
Depending on when you’re creating your loved one’s dementia care plan, they may have started experiencing cognitive decline. Memory loss is a very common symptom of dementia, and it often appears as one of the earliest symptoms, but everyone experiences the condition differently. Your loved one may show signs of slow progression, or you may see a sudden worsening of symptoms.
As well as memory loss, dementia can affect sight, hearing, speech, language, judgement, recognition, problem-solving and muscle control. Your care plan should not only detail the symptoms your loved one is currently experiencing, but also include an ongoing assessment of cognitive abilities to ensure that care can be adapted and tailored to changing needs and abilities.
Individual Personality
Our personality is what makes us ‘us’. Again, including personal notes about your loved one’s personality is an excellent way to make sure their carer provides support tailored to them. Including personal traits they exhibited both before and after their diagnosis helps a carer understand them on a deeper level, benefiting from a more comprehensive understanding of their changing needs, attitudes, and behaviours.
Your loved one’s personality will often play a vital role in how they respond and cope with their progressive condition. For example, extroverted people may tackle their symptoms head-on, while more introspective people might require more emotional support. Considering your loved one’s personality when building their care plan enables you to tailor it accurately and efficiently to their individual nature.
Everyday Surroundings
A dementia care plan must take into account your loved one’s living environment, especially when independence is one of your main priorities. Understanding their home also ensures their personal safety and security. As dementia symptoms progress, certain aspects of their home may become more dangerous, such as stairs and walk-in baths. They may require more security as they become more confused.
Understanding your loved one’s needs and symptoms helps minimise physical barriers and stimuli that might prove dangerous or provocative. Their everyday surroundings can be evaluated by a care needs assessment, but this can take a while to achieve. Instead, family members can evaluate the home themselves to create a more efficient and relevant care plan.
How Country Cousins Can Help
At Country Cousins, we provide bespoke care to our clients by utilising comprehensive care plans. Our carers are fully trained and experienced in caring for individuals with dementia, providing the best possible care for your loved one, regardless of the stage of dementia they’re experiencing. Once we’ve matched your loved one to one of our compassionate carers, they’ll work with the whole family to curate a detailed care plan that can be adjusted and reviewed as often as your loved one requires.
We also value the independence and dignity of your loved one, so we’ll invite them to contribute to their care plan. This ensures we’re all working towards the same goal: to keep them comfortable and confident with the standard of care they’re receiving. As our professional relationship develops, we’ll be able to use the care plan as a point of contact to make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to your loved one’s present and future home care.
Talk to Our Team Today
As the UK’s longest-serving introductory live-in care agency, we have been providing compassionate live-in care to those who need it since 1959 – all from the comfort of their own homes.
Give us a call today on 01293 224 706. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form.
