Can you care for someone with dementia at home? Yes. Many people continue to live at home with the right support around them. A dementia diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean someone needs to move into a care home, and staying at home doesn’t mean one family member has to take on all the care.
This guide looks at what can make dementia care at home work for your family, when you might need more help and what professional care can look like.
This guide provides general information. An individual care assessment can help establish what support is appropriate for your loved one.
What makes caring for someone with dementia at home possible?
The stage of dementia is one factor, but it’s not the only one. Your loved one’s wishes, day-to-day needs, home environment and the support available around them all play a part.
Think about the practical things they need help with. This might include eating, getting dressed, moving around the house or managing at night. It’s also worth being honest about what you can realistically provide alongside work, your own health and other responsibilities.
A care assessment looks at the person as a whole rather than their diagnosis alone.
Home can remain the right place for some people as dementia progresses. The Alzheimer’s Society explains that some people in the later stages continue living at home with support from carers and health and social care professionals. For others, a residential or nursing setting may become more appropriate. Regular reviews can help you understand when needs have changed.
You can also read more about the benefits of dementia care at home.
The role of family carers
Family support can bring familiarity and reassurance. You may know which activities your loved one enjoys, what their usual routine looks like or what helps them feel comfortable. That knowledge can be just as useful when professional carers become part of their care.
At the same time, providing all the care yourself can become difficult to manage. Sharing some of the practical tasks can give you time for work, rest and simply being together without every interaction revolving around care.
Accepting help doesn’t mean stepping away from your role as a partner, son, daughter or other relative.
Our guide to caring for parents with dementia covers routines, communication and supporting independence. Much of the advice applies to partners and other relatives too.
How professional home care can help
Professional care can fill particular gaps in your loved one’s day or take on much of the day-to-day caring role. The amount of support can also change as their needs develop.
- Visiting care provides help at agreed times, such as getting dressed, preparing meals or settling down for the evening. Depending on assessed needs, this could mean a few hours of care each week or several visits a day.
- Respite care gives a family carer time away from their caring responsibilities, whether that’s regular time off or a longer break.
- Live-in care means a carer lives in the home and provides support throughout the day. They’ll need their own bedroom, proper breaks and time to sleep. If your loved one needs someone awake and providing care throughout the night, additional arrangements will be needed. One live-in carer cannot provide continuous waking care.
With Trinity’s dementia care at home, we begin with an assessment and create a personalised care plan around your loved one. We then carefully match a carer based on their needs, personality and preferences.
Your dedicated care manager coordinates the care, answers questions and reviews the plan as things change. Our care teams can also access clinical guidance when someone has more complex needs.
Your care plan should make clear what happens when a carer needs time off, how cover is arranged and who you can contact if you have concerns.
With your loved one’s consent, you can also receive updates through Trinity Connect, helping you stay involved even when you’re not there.
Signs it’s time to bring in extra support
You don’t have to wait until caring becomes unmanageable before asking for help.
If caring is affecting your sleep, health or other responsibilities, it may be time to look at some extra support. Feeling constantly exhausted, missing your own appointments or having little time away from caring are all signs that things may be becoming too much.
Changes in your loved one’s needs are important too. Perhaps they’re missing meals, finding it harder to move around or needing help at times when nobody is available. You may also have new concerns about their safety at home.
A GP or care professional can help you talk through these changes. In England, a council care needs assessment can help identify what support is needed.
That could mean more care, different visiting times or a plan for when you need a break. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’ve let your loved one down.
Creating a safe, manageable home environment
Small changes around the home can sometimes make everyday life easier. Better lighting, clearer walkways and simple signs can help someone find their way around more easily.
The NHS’s dementia-friendly home guidance recommends making changes carefully rather than changing everything at once.
The aim is to deal with particular risks while keeping the home familiar. Where possible, involve your loved one in decisions about changes to their surroundings and seek individual advice if you have concerns about mobility or the layout of the home.
Our practical dementia care guide also looks at home safety in more detail.
Why choose Trinity Homecare
Trinity Homecare has 30 years of experience supporting people living with dementia at home. Our live-in care service is rated Outstanding overall by the Care Quality Commission, giving families an independent view of the quality of our service.
Our carers are matched to each person’s care needs, personality and preferences. We want people to feel comfortable in their own home and able to keep doing the things that matter to them.
Our care teams have access to specialist dementia training and ongoing development. Trinity also participates in Dementia Friends, an Alzheimer’s Society awareness initiative.
Speak to a care expert about support that respects your loved one’s choices and helps make life at home more manageable for your family.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone with dementia stay at home through the later stages?
Some people can, with suitable professional care and healthcare support. Later-stage dementia can involve substantial help with personal care, eating and mobility. Whether home continues to be appropriate depends on the individual, the support available and how their needs change over time. It isn’t the right option for everyone.
Do I have to provide all the care myself?
No. Professional carers can share or take on many of the day-to-day caring tasks, while respite care can give you time away.
You can still be closely involved in your loved one’s life without being responsible for every aspect of their care. The arrangement should take into account their preferences as well as what you can realistically manage.
How much professional care might someone need?
There isn’t a set number of hours based on a dementia diagnosis. An assessment looks at things such as daily tasks, overnight needs, safety and the support already available.
You can explore our dementia care options to see how visiting or live-in care could work for your loved one.
What if caring at home becomes too much for me?
You don’t have to wait until you’re exhausted to ask for help. Respite care or additional support could give you some time back, and you can speak to your GP if caring is affecting your health.
In England, a separate carer’s assessment looks at your own needs and the support available to you.
Is home care more affordable than a care home for dementia?
Not necessarily. Costs vary depending on the level of care needed, overnight arrangements and individual circumstances.
It’s worth comparing personalised quotations and checking exactly what each option includes. Remember that household bills will still need to be paid if your loved one remains at home.
Our guide to live-in care costs explains the main factors that can affect the cost.
Does Trinity offer flexible levels of dementia care?
Yes. Trinity offers both visiting and live-in dementia care, with support reviewed as needs change.
Live-in care may be able to start within 24 hours, subject to an assessment and the availability of a suitably matched carer. Visiting care depends on location.
Explore our dementia care services to discuss what might work for your loved one.
Talk through what care at home could look like
You don’t need to have everything worked out before you speak to us. A conversation can help you understand what support your relative might need, what matters to them and what could make things easier for your family.
Call 0207 183 4884 or speak to a Trinity care expert for a free, no-obligation conversation about your options.
