"The staff have worked very hard to give my mum some dignity back"

Dear King395,

We are so pleased to hear things are working out well for you and your Mum. We always hear the talk about ‘supporting people at home for as long as possible’. But that is not right for everyone. It is very difficult to properly support a person at home, especially if they have any form of dementia. I think it takes a toll, not only on that older person but certainly on the carers as well. You no doubt worried endlessly about your Mum. What we have found is that people come to us who have been struggling on at home, with families trying to do the best they can. Once they settle in, that person will often pick back up and get along much better. Being around other people they may fall into a healthy routine.

But being around others can be very difficult for some of us, as you have shared about your Mum. Staff must be sensitive to this and give a person their own space and time alone. At Springwood, staff will also try to encourage a person to develop a friendship, even to have a bit of a social life, because we know from experience that people can and do often change for the better. Some people have become happier, and we think this may have something to do with being around others.

Dementia often helps a person explore parts of them self that have been hidden for years. This may sound strange, but people have developed an interest in art, or in bird watching for instance, things they perhaps never bothered with before. I would encourage you to think about some ideas along these lines. When you come to visit try sitting down with your Mum and doing a bit of drawing, or maybe some baking in the Family Kitchen. You could also try out our new music centre. Play songs she likes, or songs she has never even heard before, or even try a sing along or dance a jig! Whatever you can think of to stimulate her interest, don’t be afraid to give it a go. Staff are more than willing to help out with ideas and encouragement.

Let us know how you get on, and if you are able to achieve a lifestyle change for your Mum. You may make a breakthrough! We are always looking for interesting stories for our newsletter that will help others in the same position. It was good of you to share your thoughts. We hope you and your family do very well here, and don’t forget to have a little fun!