Alzheimer’s Care

Symptoms may be fairly mild and centre around forgetfulness and disorientation. At this stage in the condition, it’s important to encourage as much social activity, exercise, and cognitive engagement as possible to delay progression. 

Visiting care may be the most suitable option at this time and can be arranged for as little as 30 minutes per day or for several visits per day.

At this stage, a person with Alzheimer’s will require a greater level of care as symptoms become evident. As routine and consistency are key for people with Alzheimer’s, introducing professional care at this stage is crucial to your loved one’s ability to form a bond and accept the care given to them before the more advanced stages set in. 

For many of our clients, this is the time when care transitions from visiting care to live-in care, ensuring a carer is available round the clock if any needs arise.

The late stages of Alzheimer’s are characterised by a steep deterioration in the person’s condition, and they will require 24-hour care that covers daytime and night-time support. Carers can assist with things like continence, eating and drinking, monitoring weight, night-time supervision, and preparing tailored meals that the person can consume.

Yes, with the right support in place, most people with Alzheimer’s can remain at home through every stage of the condition, including the more advanced stages. Trinity Homecare’s care adapts as needs change: short daily visits in the early stages, moving to live-in care as mid-stage symptoms develop, and full 24-hour support, including overnight care, once more advanced needs arise. Staying in a familiar home, surrounded by personal belongings and routine, can also help reduce the distress and confusion that a change of environment can trigger.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, but it isn’t the only one. Other common types include vascular dementia (linked to reduced blood flow to the brain, often after a stroke), Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Symptoms like memory loss and confusion can overlap across types, but the underlying causes, progression, and appropriate care can differ, which is why a proper diagnosis matters, and why Trinity’s carers are trained in dementia care more broadly, not just Alzheimer’s.

It depends on the level of support needed. A few visits a week often looks very different in cost to full live-in or 24-hour care. As a guide, home care for Alzheimer’s is often comparable to residential care home fees and can work out cheaper in some circumstances, such as when only visiting care is required or when caring for a couple staying together at home. For a personalised estimate based on individual circumstances, see our Cost of Live-in Care and Cost of Visiting Care pages, or get in touch for a free quotation.

Sundowning describes the increased confusion, agitation or restlessness that many people with Alzheimer’s experience in the late afternoon and evening. It’s thought to be linked to tiredness, changing light, and a disrupted body clock. An experienced carer can help by keeping to a calm, familiar routine, keeping rooms well-lit before dusk, limiting noise or visitors later in the day, and responding to confusion with gentle reassurance rather than correction or argument.

There’s no fixed stage at which this happens, as it comes down to safety and how well day-to-day tasks are being managed, rather than a diagnosis date. Signs it may be time for extra support include leaving the cooker or taps on, missing meals or medication, wandering outside the home, unpaid bills or unusual spending, a decline in personal hygiene, or increasing isolation and low mood. These risks don’t necessarily mean moving out of the home is the answer, as many people can safely continue living independently at home with regular visiting care. They then move to live-in support as needs increase, rather than losing their independence altogether.