Experience Hillview Dementia Care

Caring for someone with dementia can be very rewarding, but it also has its challenges. It requires compassion, patience and understanding. 

As a carer you may have to care for your loved one’s physical and emotional needs, while helping them stay as independent as possible. The level of care will depend on their individual condition. 

When caring for someone living with dementia it’s essential to be organised, this will minimise stress and have plans in place to manage situations as they arise. It will also allow you to schedule in respite care, so you and your family can have a break from caring for your loved one from time-to-time. 

At some point, caring for your loved one may become too challenging and you may need to consider dementia care, especially if they have any other pre-existing medical conditions or their safety is at risk. HillView Care provides specialist dementia care with a team of highly qualified staff who are genuinely passionate about caring for others.

The best care for dementia will depend on the individual patient. The level of care that is needed will be determined by the stage of dementia and whether it’s mild, moderate or severe. 

People living with dementia need individualised care, which could include both physical and emotional support. An ACAT Assessment through My Aged Care will determine what level of care is needed, whether it’s help at home, respite care , residential aged care or dementia care. 

Once you have determined the appropriate level of care, discover what HillView Care homes have to offer and book a visit at one of our homes.

Determining when a person with dementia should move into an aged care home can be difficult. 

If a person’s dementia has progressed and they now need more care than you can provide at home, it may be time to consider the move into a dementia care home. 

People will need more care as their dementia progresses, but they may also need to move into an aged care home if they fall ill or have an accident that results in a hospital admission, if you can no longer maintain their safety or if their behaviour is no longer manageable. 

We’d love to show you first-hand how HillView Care can help make the transition into dementia care stress-free. Book a visit at one of our homes.

What level of care patients need will depend on their individual health. Some patients with more advanced dementia may need 24-hour care, others may be able to care for themselves with some additional in-home help. 

Dementia patients need individualised care in a respectful and understanding environment. At HillView Care our team develops strong bonds with our residents and always takes a personalised approach. For us, it’s vital to understand the needs of each individual resident to care for them in the best way possible. 

We provide a high level of security to ensure each resident’s safety, as well as a quality, round-the-clock medical team to manage their health needs.

Many dementia patients can continue to live at home while they are in the early stages of the disease. This is only possible if they can receive the right level of care for their individual needs. Having someone to trust and provide support where it’s needed will make it easier for them to stay in their own home longer. 

However, as the disease progresses, caring for someone with dementia may be more than you can handle alone. In the later stages of dementia 24/7 care may be needed to ensure their safety and provide ongoing medical support. 

An ACAT Assessment through My Aged Care will determine what level of care is needed, whether it’s help at home, respite care , residential aged care or dementia care. 

Once you have determined the appropriate level of care, discover what HillView Care homes have to offer and book a tour to one of our homes.

There are 3 main phases of dementia, however how the disease affects every individual will differ. 

• Early dementia.
• Moderate dementia.
• Advanced dementia. 

Early dementia

It’s easy to miss the early signs of dementia and put it down to age. In the early stages of dementia a patient may:

• Repeat themselves or lose their train of thought.
• Find it more difficult to grasp complex information. 
• Blame others when they lose things. 
• Display more apathy.
• Lose interest in things they previously enjoyed. 
• Dislike and oppose change. 
• Be forgetful of recent happenings. 
• Be irritable or upset when they can’t do something. 
• Find it difficult to handle money.
• Make poor decisions. 

Moderate dementia

At this stage of the disease symptoms have a greater effect on the patients everyday life. Patients may: 

• Start to forget recent events. Memories of the past may be forgotten or confused. 
• Become repetitive. 
• Neglect hygiene or eating. 
• Become angry, irritable or distressed due to frustration. 
• See or hear things that aren’t there. 
• Behave inappropriately.
• Forget when they are cooking and leave things in the oven. 
• Become lost or disorientated and wander the streets. 
• Get confused about time and places.
• Forget names of family or friends or get confused with members of the family.

Advanced dementia

In this stage of dementia the patient will need 24/7 care. The patient may: 

• Become incontinent.
• Fail to remember events from only a few minutes ago.
• Lose their ability to talk or understand others. 
• Show no memory of family or friends. 
• Need help with everyday tasks such as eating, washing, going to the bathroom and dressing. 
• Fail to recognise everyday objects. 
• Become restless and confused.
• Have difficulty walking. 
• Have uncontrolled movements.
• Lose mobility and become bedridden. 

Source: Dementia Australia