We are passionate about the dementia care we provide at Bartlett’s, Stone House and Merryfield. Read on to find out more about dementia and how we provide expert support for our residents, families and local communities.
Dementia can be a challenging topic to discuss. Historically there has been significant stigma and misunderstanding about how the brain is affected when a person develops dementia, but as awareness and knowledge of dementia has grown, we’ve learnt so much as a society about how a person can continue to live a full and active life with dementia and what best practice in dementia care and support looks like.
At Peverel Court Care we are highly experienced at supporting individuals and families throughout their lives with dementia, providing knowledge, understanding and care in environments where any worries or fears you may have will always be met with kindness and compassion.
What is dementia and what are some of the common symptoms?
Dementia is a broad term used to describe symptoms that are caused by different diseases damaging the brain. Common types of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies, frontotemporal dementia and mixed dementia, which is where the person has been diagnosed with more than one type of dementia. All types of dementia are progressive, which means symptoms will get worse over time.
Whilst memory loss is the most commonly talked about symptom of dementia there are many others, including problems with language, communication and understanding, changes in mood and personality, and problems with concentration, organisation, orientation and perception, to name just a few. The symptoms of dementia often result in many difficulties with daily living which can become difficult to cope with in the person’s own home as their dementia advances.
You can find out more about dementia, the different types, signs and symptoms from The Alzheimer’s Society and Dementia UK. You may also like to complete the ‘Dementia Symptoms Checklist’ from the Alzheimer’s Society.
If you are concerned that you or someone you know is developing dementia, speak to your GP. They should offer to conduct some basic tests and may then make a referral to a Memory Clinic.
How we support our residents with dementia at Bartlett’s, Stone House and Merryfield
At Peverel Court Care we are honoured to support our residents at various stages of their dementia. Each person is unique in how they experience their dementia and therefore the care and support we provide is entirely bespoke to each individual. We work very much from a strengths-based approach, first and foremost looking at what each person can do and how, with side-by-side support, we can maximise the person’s abilities.
We believe that enriching activities and beautiful surroundings are essential to enhancing the quality of life for our residents. Our homes boast stunning gardens and extensive grounds, providing a serene and therapeutic environment where everyone can thrive, and when blended with our engaging activities and dedicated dementia support our homes become truly special places to live.
Our environments
Our dementia environments are optimised to help minimise confusion and provide comfort, safety and reassurance whilst promoting engagement. We aim to support our resident’s memories in a number of ways, including having photos of recent events regularly added to our boards and daily reminders of the activities that are coming up.
Our residents are encouraged to personalise their rooms, and many bedrooms have pictures and other items that are important to the person. These aid with reminiscence and familiarity, as do memory books and diaries that we support our residents to use to write down who’s visited and what they’ve enjoyed doing each day.
Our dementia-enabling gardens are meticulously designed to offer safe, accessible, and engaging outdoor spaces. These gardens feature sensory plants, raised flower beds and comfortable seating areas, encouraging residents to spend time outdoors which has been shown to improve mood and well-being. We also provide regular guided walks and gardening activities, promoting physical activity and connection with nature.
Our activities
We host a variety of unique, enriching activities and events designed to stimulate and entertain our residents, supporting both existing hobbies and providing opportunities to foster new interests which can help with neuroplasticity.
For our residents with dementia we aim to provide a wide-range of specifically therapeutic interventions, like music, art, animal therapy and access to nature to reduce distress, which is in-line with the latest research that urges the use of safer behavioural management approaches rather than antipsychotics for people who experience changes in their behaviour due to their dementia.
Our annual events, such as the Dog Show and Vintage Car Show, bring joy and excitement, fostering a sense of community and belonging. These events, open to residents and their families, create memorable experiences and opportunities for social interaction.
Caring for our families and educating our staff
To support our families, we have a pop-up café at Bartlett’s Residential Care Home that runs semi-regularly for relatives to come and meet with each other for peer support. These gatherings have proven so popular that they often meet in other locations too.
Our staff are highly trained in dementia to ensure that they can provide the very best support with empathy, kindness and a true understanding of each individual and the best ways to care for them. We pride ourselves on delivering support that enhances each person’s quality of life and promotes meaningful interactions.
In the words of Marcus, son of one of our Bartlett’s residents:
“My father went to Bartlett’s Residential Care Home when his dementia made things difficult for him to be cared for at home. In the three years he was there, the care he received was quite exemplary and I don’t think he could have stayed in a better place where everybody cared for him as much as the team at Bartlett’s did. The tenderness and love they showed him was genuine and I cannot sing the praises of the whole team there enough.”
You can read more about our dementia care commitment here. If you would like to discuss our respite or residential dementia care options, please contact us.
Supporting our communities in raising awareness
We view Bartlett’s, Stone House and Merryfield as community hubs. We know many of our neighbours and our local communities may be touched by dementia in some way or have queries or concerns about it. Our expert staff are always on hand to share our expertise with you if you’re navigating the world of dementia within your family.
We run regular dementia information sessions for staff, relatives and our local community which we advertise on our social media channels. These sessions are run in collaboration with Age UK and provide invaluable support and information to our residents and their families, with our new staff often attending to complement their ongoing dementia training. These sessions – provided with complimentary refreshments – include interactive activities, informative talks, and peer support groups, ensuring that everyone affected by dementia has access to the resources they need. You can find out more information and/or register for the next event by emailing office@peverelcourt.co.uk. We hope to see you at one of these events in the future.
About Peverel Court Care
Peverel Court Care is a group of one residential and two nursing homes, located in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Bartlett’s Residential Care Home and Stone House Nursing Home in Aylesbury, and Merryfield House Nursing Home in Witney. We are a long-standing family business. Providing exceptional, personalised care, delivered by talented and compassionate people, in exclusive and idyllic settings.
With happiness at the heart of our homes, we recognise and respect the contribution made by our residents to society during their lifetimes. Valued by residents and their families; our reputation, investment in each property, and approach to appointing and developing our staff makes each home unique and the benchmark in premium care.
