Right at Home’s Cognitive Support Program
Published: 01/02/2019
As memories fade and communication changes, the daily care needs for your loved one may grow. Right at Home’s unique approach to Dementia and Cognitive Support provides person-centred care encouraging abilities and focusing on minimising symptoms of dementia and cognitive decline. When it comes to the care of your loved one, only the right care will do… and that’s where Right at Home comes in.
Cognitive Care That Connects Families
Right at Home’s approach to dementia and cognitive support is anchored in our mission: to improve the quality of life for those we serve. We serve your loved ones, but we also serve each of you; the families of our clients.
While Right at Home provides specialised dementia and cognitive support, families fulfil a critical role in Right at Home’s RightCare approach. To support loved ones living with dementia and cognitive change to live at home, independently, for as long as possible, the role of the family is to:
RELATE to their loved one in a way that empowers the client’s abilities.
CONNECT with their loved one using person-centered care and communication techniques.
ENCOURAGE their loved one to participate in activities that support lifestyle goals.
To support the role of the family, Right at Home educates families about their loved one’s current ability level, while providing support techniques and tips on how to best interact with and care for their loved one.
Cognitive Change
As our loved ones age, they may experience cognitive change that can be caused by:
- Medical conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Lewy Bodies, and others;
- Physical traumas such as stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury;
- Lifestyle factors such as malnutrition, lack of hydration, emotional stress, or poor hygiene
One of the most commonly recognised causes of cognitive change is dementia. Dementia is a series of symptoms that can impact a person’s ability to think, recall, communicate and complete daily activities. While there are more than 100 different causes, Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s is diagnosed in about 70 percent of all dementia cases.
How Cognitive Change Affects Families
Dementia and cognitive change often affects a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks such as dressing, personal hygiene, eating and managing personal finances. It also impacts communication and interactions with loved ones making those interactions different than they had been in the past. A person with dementia or cognitive change may become irritable or withdrawn, often leaving loved ones confused, fearful, angry or sad, and uncertain. Watching a loved one’s abilities change is incredibly challenging for families.
Understandably, many families are not prepared for the challenges of providing care for their loved one. Better information and training for family caregivers along with an in-home care partnership, can help loved ones living with dementia or cognitive change live successfully at home longer, while maintaining the positive family connection that is so important.
Right at Home Can Help
People with dementia and cognitive change require specialised care over time. Right at Home’s RightCare approach to dementia and cognitive support is grounded in the idea that ALL of our clients, regardless of the severity or progression of their cognitive change, have abilities to interact and connect with their surroundings. This programme aims to:
EMPOWER: We help clients maintain their sense of self through supporting them in setting and reaching goals.
ENGAGE: We deliver abilities-driven, person-centred care, and actively engage clients to participate in their own care.
ENCOURAGE: We promote lifestyle factors known to minimise cognitive decline.
EDUCATE: We provide families with the knowledge needed to be our care partners.
Together, with families and this approach, we can truly improve the quality of life for those we serve.
