As the prevalence of people with dementia increases we naturally support many families on their journey with dementia. Our aim is to maintain a quality of life for each individual that reflects their personality and life choices, recognising the uniqueness of the person and responding to their individual needs with dignity and respect. Within each Strong Life Care Home you will notice our dementia communities have subtle environmental differences to enable people to accommodate some of the cognitive changes that may be experienced with dementia. These changes are available to all but tailored, as required, to the individual. Our philosophy of person-centred care is all the more important in the communities where people live with dementia. Our approach is feelings-based to reflect the reality of the experiences of the people who live with us.

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that reflect progressive damage to the nerve cells within the brain with a number of different causes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, more people are now being diagnosed with a combination of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. We know that by building compassionate, trusting relationships, knowing the individuals’ biography, personality and life journey we can help people (and their families and friends who share the journey) to live enjoyable, stimulating and fulfilling lives. Families and friends form an important part of our relationships in these communities; we offer regular forums and education sessions to support and engage wider family and friends. Our care journey will start with us learning more about your life using our “About Me” booklet and “How I like to spend my day”. This is just the start. We also build a lifestyle profile which is uniquely personal to the person we care for.

Our care teams receive extensive knowledge and skills development to help them feel confident with their additional communication and observational skills to support people we care for with dementia. We regularly conduct observational audits to continuously improve the quality of the lived experience for people living and working in our communities.