With over 20 years’ experience in the care industry, Isaac Care understand the challenges of supporting people living with dementia to live independently. In this blog we will outline how Isaac Care and other resources can support and care for those living with dementia.

There are approximately to be 64,000 people diagnosed with dementia in Ireland and 850,000 over in the UK. It is estimated there will be 150,000 people in Ireland, diagnosed with dementia by 2045. Dementia is an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type.

• Alzheimer Society of Ireland – The Alzheimer Society of Ireland works across the country in the heart of local communities providing dementia specific services and supports and advocating for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia and their carers.
• Dementia UK – call for free on 0800 888 6678 for support from our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses. The Helpline is open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday to Sunday.
• Homecare Supports– Myhomecare and Care 24/7 take the time to understand the person, learn their life story and meet their family so that we can understand how best to meet their specific needs and most importantly improve their quality of life.
• Memory Technology Resource Rooms – These rooms are for people who would like to know more about products and devices which can help manage memory difficulties. To find one near you click here.

Isaac Care is committed to supporting those living with dementia and their families. We offer a range of support to help people living with dementia, including:

• The Isaac circle of care app – sharing the care responsibility. The Isaac family caring app has been designed to support families in caring for their loved ones. It allows for easy communication and brings together information from our assistive devices into one platform, allowing the relevant circles of care to be kept up to date.
• The Isaac Fall alarm – Our next generation fall alarm allows the service user to easily call for help, whether at home or out and about. They have reassurance that our team are there to monitor calls 24/7 and that their family are notified of any fall alert through the Isaac app.
• Easily set up GPS Zones and receive notifications when the device enters/leaves these zones e.g. home, shop, supermarket.
• The Isaac Health kit – weight decline is a concern for people living with dementia, our remote monitoring service is proactive and keeps an eye on the persons’ health over time allowing for early interventions on the first sign of declining health.
• The Isaac Ambient Sensors – These discreet sensors are placed throughout the home and detect patterns of activity, alerting if there is any concerning change in pattern including doors opening in the middle of the night or changes in daily patterns of behaviour.

“Provides peace of mind for me because I know where he is and if he has a fall, it alerts me straight away. I can check on the GPS and find him immediately”

– Marion Mooney, Primary Carer

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to finding activities for people with dementia. However, some general tips may be useful in finding activities that are both enjoyable and beneficial for someone with dementia.

Some things to keep in mind when choosing activities include:

• The person’s interests and abilities. What did they enjoy doing before they developed dementia? What are they still able to do?

• The level of support needed. Some activities may require more assistance than others.

• The environment. Is the activity taking place in a safe and familiar setting?

Having dementia doesn’t mean you can no longer do the things you once enjoyed. There are a range of activities that will help improve the overall wellbeing of someone with Dementia

Exercise. Even moderate exercise can improve mood, sleep, and overall health.

Social: Staying social is so important for everyone’s mental well-being. Stay in touch with friends or join a social group such as walking or look out for dementia friendly classes to help you stay active.

Reminiscence work: Share past life experiences or stories using videos, photos or through music. Being unable to recall memories, or people can be a stressful event for individuals. Reminiscence therapy helps to elicit positive memories without the pressure and confusion of continuous direct questioning.

It’s important to experiment with different activities to find what works best for the person with dementia. What is pleasurable for one person may not be enjoyable for another. It may take some trial and error to find the right activity, but it’s worth the effort to help improve the quality of life for someone with dementia.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing dementia, as each person experiences the condition differently. Treatment focuses on slowing the progression of the disease and managing symptoms.

After diagnoses there is ways, you can help manage dementia and to maintain independence for as long as possible. Ways you can manage it are lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, diet and social engagement, can help people with dementia live better lives.

Another way to help manage dementia is to provide emotional support. This can include being a good listener, providing encouragement, and offering reassurance. It is also important to be patient and to understand that the person with dementia may not be able to communicate as well as they used to.

Finally, you can help by providing practical assistance. Isaac Care can assist in this way through the use of the Reminder feature, to remind the person to take medication, about upcoming events or appointments. Isaac Cares Two Way Call feature is also beneficial so that the person can receive help from a loved one or medical professional if needed.

By providing support in these ways, you can help the person with dementia to maintain their independence and quality of life.