Francis House HomeCare offers people living with dementia the opportunity to remain in their own homes whilst receiving specialist dementia care. This option avoids the need for relocation to an unfamiliar environment, and the disorientation this can occasion. Remaining at home provides stability, security and round the clock access for family and friends.
The maintenance of routines is hugely beneficial to people with dementia. Francis House carers become part of our clients’ daily routine, which may include checking hydration, medication monitoring, daily exercise, or personal care.
Our carers offer personalised support for people living with dementia, whether the symptoms are mild, or severe. We treat the person, not the symptom, which involves finding out about who our client is, what they’ve done for a living, particular hobbies, and TV programmes they enjoy. Francis House care includes time to engage clients in activities, memories and conversations that are meaningful to them.
A care package will be tailored to the specific needs of the client, based on an initial assessment. It may include washing, dressing, preparing food, light domestic duties, shopping or daily exercise.
Often Francis House professional carers get involved at a point where family carers need extra support for their loved ones. We understand that inviting professional care into your home is a sensitive process. The role of dementia carers is not to take over; rather we support our client and their family in whatever way they think is appropriate.
A key service Francis House carers can provide is forward planning. Rather than reacting to dementia symptoms as they occur, we suggest ways to plan for their progression. We can also help with the process of applying for home care funding.
Dementia care at home may include ‘sit-in’ services which offer respite to family carers managing a relative, or spouse with dementia. We can also provide short or long-term live-in care to allow family carers to take a holiday, for example. 24-hour care is also available, where a team of carers cover continual care 24/7.
The specialist training that Francis House Homecare staff receive allows them to deal with challenging behaviour effectively and compassionately. We work with our clients empathically, and never forget the person behind the behaviour.
Home care for dementia Bedfordshire is made up of a range of services which are available to support clients in their own home. Our dementia carers have the versatility and expertise to successfully deliver care and support to people at all stages of dementia. The personalised care services provided are subject to an individual care plan assessment.
Managing medication
Personal care and grooming
Help with getting ready for the day or retiring to bed
Live-in care
Sitting service
Care during the night
Preparing meals
Laundry and cleaning tasks
Monitoring of nutritional intake
Specialist feeding through PEG
Shopping
Social outings and companionship
Francis House Homecare is recognised by the Care Quality Commission as a provider offering a consistently good service to people with dementia. We recognise that clients with dementia are extremely vulnerable, and our care staff are committed to providing care of a high standard, delivered from the heart, via a professional relationship based on trust and respect.
All Francis House carers go through mandatory in-house training when they begin work with us. Further to this, they are required to complete supplementary training each year. Specialist training in stoma care, PEG feeding, dementia care, and managing challenging behaviour is carried out on a regular basis.