What dementia care at home is
Dementia care at home is paid, regular support from trained carers that helps a person living with dementia keep living in their own home safely. It covers the practical side of the day, such as washing, dressing, meals, medication and getting out, and the side that matters just as much: keeping a steady routine, reducing confusion and distress, and giving the family a break. JNP Sidona Support Services is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide care in people's homes, and dementia is one of the specialisms listed on our CQC registration. We support people across Lewisham, Blackheath, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Bromley.
Home is often the best place for someone with dementia for as long as it can be made to work. The layout, the chair, the view from the window and the order of the day are all things a person can still rely on when short-term memory cannot be relied on. Good home care protects that, rather than replacing it.
What support can include
- Help getting up, washing, dressing and settling at night, at a pace the person can follow
- Preparing meals and drinks, and gentle prompting to eat and drink enough
- Medication support, so tablets are taken as prescribed and recorded
- Keeping the house safe and running: laundry, tidying, checking the fridge
- Company, conversation and activities the person still enjoys, from music to a walk to the shops
- Help to appointments, and keeping family informed about how things are going
- Short breaks for the main family carer, so they can rest or have time to themselves
Most dementia support is a combination of personal care, companionship and practical help, arranged around the person rather than around a fixed list of tasks.
How a visit works
People living with dementia usually do best when each day has the same shape. So visits are planned at regular times, and the care plan records the small details that make a visit go well: how the person likes to be addressed, what they call the rooms of the house, which topics settle them, what tends to upset them, and what they did for a living. A carer who knows that someone was a bus driver for thirty years, or always takes two sugars, can turn a difficult morning into an ordinary one.
Carers are trained to communicate calmly and simply, to offer choices rather than instructions, and not to argue with a person's version of events. When someone is anxious or distressed, the first question is always what is causing it, such as pain, hunger, noise, or needing the toilet, before anything else.
Continuity matters more with dementia. A stranger at the door can be frightening for someone who cannot remember being told they were coming. We are a small service, and we aim to keep the same small group of carers with each person so they become a familiar part of the week.
Signs it may be time for help
- Meals are being missed, or food is going out of date in the fridge
- Medication is being forgotten or taken twice
- Washing and changing clothes have slipped
- There have been falls, wandering, or the hob or taps left on
- The family carer is exhausted, or worried every time the phone rings
None of these mean a care home is the next step. Often a few well-timed visits a day are enough to make home safe again. As needs grow, visits can increase, and some families move to live-in care, where a carer lives in the home. If the main carer needs a break, respite care can cover for days or weeks.
Home care or a care home?
Both have a place. A care home provides accommodation and round-the-clock staff in one building. Care at home keeps the person in their own surroundings, with support coming to them. For many people, especially in the earlier and middle stages of dementia, staying at home with the right support is less disorientating and keeps them closer to their neighbourhood, their routines and their family. The NHS guide to dementia care and support sets out the options, and NICE guideline NG97 describes what good dementia care and support should look like, including care that is personalised and supports the person to live well at home.
Getting started
We start with a free, no-obligation assessment at home. We meet the person living with dementia and the family, look at the home and the daily routine, and talk about what is working and what is not. Social workers, district nurses, GPs and memory services are welcome to be part of that conversation. You then get a written care plan setting out who visits, when, and what they do, and it is reviewed as needs change.
Dementia care can be paid for privately, through the council after a needs assessment, or with a mix of both. Our guide to paying for care in London explains how council funding, direct payments and Attendance Allowance work.
Questions families ask
Can someone with dementia really stay at home?
In many cases, yes, and for longer than families expect. The right level of support at home, with a steady routine and familiar carers, can keep someone safe and settled for a long time. We will tell you honestly at the assessment if we think home care is not the right answer.
My mother does not think she needs help. How do you approach that?
This is very common. It often works better to introduce a carer as a visitor who helps with something specific, such as a cup of tea and the shopping, and let personal care follow once there is trust. Pushing tends to make refusal stronger.
Is dementia care part of your CQC registration?
Yes. JNP Sidona Support Services is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide care in people's homes, and dementia is listed as one of our specialisms. You can see our registration on the CQC website.
Which areas do you cover?
Our office is on Lewisham High Street, and we provide care at home across Lewisham, Blackheath, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Bromley. Call us to check a specific address.
Can care increase as dementia progresses?
Yes. The care plan is reviewed as needs change, and visits can be added, lengthened or moved to live-in care. Changes are discussed with the person and the family first.
Talk it through with Jackie
No call centre and no obligation. Tell us what you are dealing with and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.