When Should Someone with Dementia Move Into a Care Home?
When someone you love has dementia, there may come a point when you start wondering whether they would be better supported in a care home. It can be difficult to know when that point has been reached, particularly when you want to help them remain at home for as long as possible.
You may ask whether they are still safe, whether their care needs are becoming too much to manage and whether moving into a care home would really be the right decision.
There is no single answer to when someone with dementia should move into a care home, and every person and family is different. However, understanding the signs that more support may be needed can help you make the decision with more confidence and, where possible, avoid having to make it during a crisis.
When Is It Time to Consider a Care Home?
Dementia is a condition that changes over time, and the support someone needs can change with it. In the early stages, a person may be able to continue living at home with help from family, friends or home care services.
However, as their needs increase managing everyday life can become more difficult. You'll likely notice changes gradually rather than after one particular event.
Some signs that it may be time to consider dementia care in a care home include:
- They are struggling with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing or preparing meals.
- They are becoming increasingly confused or forgetful.
- There are concerns about falls or other accidents at home.
- They are forgetting to take medication or eat and drink properly.
- They are becoming more anxious, unsettled or withdrawn.
- They need support throughout the day and night.
- Family members are finding it increasingly difficult to provide the level of care they need.
It is not necessarily one of these signs that means someone should move into a care home. Often, the combination of several changes makes it clear that additional support is needed.
Is It Still Safe for Them to Live at Home?
Safety is often one of the biggest concerns for families caring for someone with dementia. You may have started noticing things that would not have worried you before. Perhaps your loved one has fallen, left an appliance like the cooker on, become lost while out alone or forgotten to take important medication.
It is understandable to want to find ways for them to remain at home. Making changes to the home or arranging additional support may help for a period of time. However, if you are becoming increasingly worried about leaving them alone, it may be worth considering whether they need more consistent support. A care home can provide support throughout the day and night, helping residents with everyday tasks while providing a safe and comfortable environment.
What If Their Care Needs Are Becoming More Difficult to Manage?
Dementia can affect much more than memory. Over time, someone may need greater support with personal care, eating, mobility, communication and other parts of everyday life. This can place increasing pressure on family members, particularly when care is needed at different times of the day or during the night.
You may have been managing for some time, but that does not mean you have to continue coping when the situation becomes too difficult. Recognising that your loved one's needs have changed is not a sign that you have let them down.
Sometimes, the right decision is to find a care setting where their changing needs can be supported by an experienced team.
How Does Caring for Someone with Dementia Affect the Family?
It is easy to focus entirely on the needs of the person with dementia when deciding whether they need more care. However, it is also important to think about the impact caring for them is having on you and other family members. You may be visiting several times a day, helping with meals and personal care, arranging appointments or worrying about them when you are not there.
If you are feeling exhausted or finding that caring responsibilities are affecting your own health, work or family life, this does not mean that you care any less. It may simply mean that your loved one now needs a level of support that is difficult for one person or one family to provide.
Moving into a care home can allow the responsibility for day-to-day care to be shared with a professional team. This can also change the way families spend time together. Visits can become an opportunity to talk, enjoy activities and simply be together, rather than focusing entirely on providing care.
Should You Wait Until There Is a Crisis?
Many families only start looking at care homes after a fall, hospital admission or another unexpected event. While sometimes a move needs to happen quickly, it can be helpful to start exploring your options before reaching this point.
Looking at care homes early gives you more time to understand what is available, visit different homes and discuss your loved one's needs with care teams. It also gives your loved one an opportunity to be involved in the decision wherever possible.
This can make the idea of moving into care feel less sudden and give them more time to become familiar with the possibility. For someone living with dementia, becoming familiar with a new environment can take time. Planning ahead can therefore make the eventual move feel more manageable for everyone.
Can a Care Home Help Someone with Dementia Maintain Their Independence?
One of the concerns families often have is that moving into a care home will mean their loved one loses their independence. In reality, good dementia care should support someone to remain as independent as possible while providing help where it is needed.
At Bowood Court, care plans are tailored around each resident's individual needs, preferences and routines. The team takes time to get to know residents beyond their care needs, often with the help of families, which helps them maintain familiar routines and continue enjoying the things that are important to them.
Residents can also enjoy a varied programme of activities, sensory gardens, social spaces and opportunities to spend time with family and friends. This can help create a sense of familiarity, purpose and connection as they settle into care.
What Should You Look for in Dementia Care?
Once you begin considering a care home, it’s worth thinking about what would make your loved one feel comfortable and supported.
You may want to ask:
- How does the care home create personalised care plans?
- How does the team support people as their dementia progresses?
- Can residents continue with familiar hobbies and routines?
- What activities are available?
- How are families involved in care?
- What support is available throughout the day and night?
- What does everyday life look like for residents?
Visiting a care home in person can also help you understand whether it feels like the right environment. Take time to meet the team, look around the home and consider how residents and staff interact.
Dementia Care at Bowood Court in Redditch
At Bowood Court Care Home in Redditch, we understand that choosing dementia care is a significant decision for the whole family.
Our experienced team provides personalised Dementia Care in a warm and supportive environment, with care plans tailored around each resident's needs, preferences and routines. We also provide residential care and short-term respite care, giving families different options depending on their circumstances.
Residents can enjoy comfortable en-suite bedrooms, sensory gardens, restaurant-style dining and welcoming social spaces, alongside a varied programme of activities and entertainment. Reminiscence activities and memory boxes can also help residents maintain connections with their memories and life experiences.
Most importantly, our team takes the time to understand each resident as an individual. This helps us provide the right level of support while encouraging independence, dignity and quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs that someone with dementia needs a care home?
There is no single sign that means someone must move into a care home. Increasing difficulty with personal care, eating, medication, mobility or staying safe at home can all indicate that more support may be needed. It is often the combination of changing needs and the impact on the person's wellbeing and family that leads to the decision.
Is it better to move someone with dementia into a care home sooner?
There is no universally right time to move someone with dementia into a care home. However, looking at care options before a crisis gives families more time to research homes, visit in person and involve their loved one in the decision where possible.
Can someone with dementia stay at home with additional support?
For some people, additional support at home may be suitable for a period of time. This will depend on their individual needs, their safety and the level of support available. If their needs become too difficult to manage at home, a care home may provide a more suitable level of ongoing support.
Choosing Dementia Care in Redditch
Deciding that someone you love may need to move into a care home is not an easy step. It is natural to have questions about whether you are making the right decision and how your loved one will feel about the change.
Taking time to understand their needs, consider your family's circumstances and explore the care available can help you make a decision that feels right for everyone.
If you are considering dementia care in Redditch, you can book a tour of Bowood Court Care Home to meet the team, explore the home and discuss your loved one's individual care needs.
