The Villa - Dementia Care Facility

Helping families get a grip on the major responsibility of taking care of a loved one with dementia: At Nazareth House, we provide specialised care in the field of Dementia and Alzheimers.  When you receive the news of a loved one being diagnosed with Dementia, the news can be overwhelming, the advice out there not always very reliable, but one thing all can agree on is not to take this journey on by yourself.  It does not mean you care less, or you abandon your loved one if you seek out professional care.  In fact, that is the best and the responsible thing to do.  At Nazareth House we have the trained staff, absolute passion and experience to take care of your loved one without causing even further trauma.  It is a well-known fact that a person suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia will have severe mood swings, not because they are rude, but mostly because they are scared.  For family member it can cause stress and ...

Dementia Wellness this Winter The cold has arrived and we are all experiencing the effects thereof. Persons with dementia experience the decreased light, limited outside engagement, increased aches and pains and decreased activity levels. Here are some tips as to how you can assist your family with dementia through these colder months: ·          Find opportunities to increase their physical activity levels indoors. Play more games, find chores within the home, go to bigger spaces in the community (if they don’t find shopping malls too over-stimulating), do seated exercises or have them join a gym (small and private). ·          New indoor activities, explore past interests and encourage new ones, knitting, board games, gardening (inside) and reminiscence activities are lovely for winter. ·          More light, turn on the lights earlier in the day and ...

Many family members will ask whether it is the right time for their family member living with dementia to relocate, this is a difficult but important decision. Family members along with the person living with dementia should work out an advance directive (future care plan) at the early stages of the diagnosis , this will assist the family later on when the person living with dementia is no longer able to make the decision or have input. Below I have highlighted some reasons, causes and incidents that usually lead to the relocation of someone living with dementia, but one needs to keep in mind that all cases are unique. Safety Issues in the home due to a loss of independence, increase in falls and/or an elderly spouse who can’t keep up with the physical care needs of the person with dementia. Wandering and getting lost, about 60% of persons with dementia wander. Escalated caring and health needs of the person with dementia or their family care giver.   A lack of family supp...

As I get to know more persons with dementia and their care givers over time, I have realised one thing: we always need to apply the 5WH rule to all things that are out of the person’s ordinary day and routine. The quicker we get into the pattern of doing this, the easier it will be for the person with dementia and their care giver. What do I mean with out of the ordinary? Any sudden changes – which may include a change in bowel movements, energy levels, eating habits, mobility and behaviour. Working in a dementia facility immediately puts me in the ‘ dementia frame’ , which means I try and reason with dementia always at the forefront and as my foundation. I need to consciously tell myself to question other possible reasons for changes in the person with dementia. Yes, sometimes it is the progression of the disease and we can expect certain changes, but many times it is something else and we need to put our ‘investigator hat’ on to get to the bottom of it. We cannot rely on subje...

Attending a Dementia Support Group  In my experience people are fearful or embarrassed to attend any form of support group. This feeling is due to the stigma that is associated with self-help and other forms of support groups; sure there are certain groups that are not going to be the right fit, groups that make you uncomfortable or groups where you don’t feel that others share the same experience as you. I still encourage you, as a dementia care giver to attend support groups until you find the right one for you. The benefits of a dementia support group -Finding out about dementia resources that you may need, if not now, maybe in the future  -An opportunity to problem solve with others that have been through similar experiences and challenges -Not feeling alone -Realising that your spouse/parent with dementia shares the same challenges as others with dementia -Dealing with the frustrations associated with caring for someone with dementia -Assisting w...

The Villa- Dementia Care Facility  Welcome to the Villa! The Villa is a specialised dementia facility which offers 24 hour security, restricted access control, a registered nurse to supervise care, daily activities, single rooms with en suite bathrooms, daily cleaning services, laundry services, a beautiful landscape and support for families.  The staff members and residents are very close. We see each other like family as we laugh and go through the day together. Our aim is to provide the best quality of care, socialization opportunities and chances for engagement, happiness and overall well-being for residents living at The Villa. Residents engage in daily exercise groups, a variety of occupation based group activities and walks in the garden. Some residents sleep in a bit, while others are up early and on the go, some residents assist with setting the table while others enjoy being served. Individualized care is the best suited care for persons' with dementia a...