Dementia Care at West Heanton

Here at West Heanton we care for people with many different types of Dementia. We treat every person individually and assess each person to ensure we will be able to meet their needs.

Unlocked Doors

We do vary considerably from many homes providing care for people with dementia as we do not have a secure environment and residents are able to access the outside as they wish. We understand this will not suit the needs of some people but we feel this provides us a unique service for people who still gain a lot of comfort from being able to explore freely. This philosophy would not be possible if it was not for our unique location where we have large grounds and situated on a quite rural road. We although have several passive measure in place to reduce the risks associated with the dementia condition such as our nurse system which can be used in conjunction with pressure mats to alert us that someone is going for a walk.

Building Design

Our building has developed over many years and is not a standard layout or room size, this has lent itself to the people we care for with dementia as they are able to find their away around as there is no two rooms alike so after a while they can get their baring’s. We also work around a homely model where we have the kitchen is at the heart of the home and this is made to feel open to the residents who can visit the kitchen and imitates a more familiar setup to what they would have had before at home. We have also chosen to use a mild colour scheme of green to provide a relaxing atmosphere. We have chosen not to implement a fully contrasting style as we want to maintain the familiar atmosphere of someone own home,

Regular Staff

We feel our main strength and best attribute for caring for clients with dementia is our dedicated work force who work regular shifts. We have not used agency staff for over 8 years and our staff get to know the people they care for well so that as their memory fades we know what they like and dislike. With the introduction of our home care and sheltered housing services we are able to get to know the people in their own home environment which we can then map into the care home if they need to move. Reminiscence and Activities We have regular activities for the people we care for to take part in or just watch and observe. These range in ability and style but we believe that by encouragement and stimulation this can make people feel more settled. We provide daily activities provided by our own in-house staff, we also have a range of outside providers who visit to provide music and remembrance, stimulation via pets and also a personal trainer who assists people with exercise. We have strong links with the local community and host several events to encourage people to visit the home.