700,000 people in the UK care for someone with Dementia. 9 in 10 carers who look after a loved one with dementia experience feelings of stress or anxiety several times a week – and a further 80% find it difficult to open up about the emotional impact of caring, as found by an Alzheimer’s Society survey.
Getting help and support as a caregiver
Caring for a family member with dementia, such as an elderly parent, can be challenging, rewarding, change family relationships and impact on physical and psychological health. We explore the thoughts and feelings faced by the thousands of carers in the UK and how Beloved Homecare’s dementia care services in Urmston and surrounding areas can help alleviate the pressures that come with dementia care.
Many carers find it very difficult to access any help and support
According to Alzheimer’s Society, 40% of carers surveyed provide round-the-clock care, and many struggle to take time out for themselves and away from their caring responsibilities. When they need to seek help, they may face waiting times of more than a year – therefore the demand for online therapy may be a key priority for organisations like the NHS to address. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems through the way you think and behave. It is most frequently used to treat anxiety and depression, which are common symptoms experienced by many carers.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT is based on the concept that your feelings, thoughts, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle.
CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems that you are experiencing in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts. You’re shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel.
Some of the advantages of CBT include:
- It may be helpful in cases where medication alone has not worked.
- It can be completed in a shorter time frame compared to other talking therapies. This is great for carers who find it hard to balance their caring responsibilities and their spare time.
- The highly structured nature of CBT means it can be provided in different settings. Not only can it be provided online but also in groups and self-help books. You can find mental health apps and tools in the NHS apps library.
- It teaches you useful and practical strategies that can be used in everyday life, even if the treatment has already finished.
It may be worth doing some more reading about CBT and looking into how you can find a psychological therapies service in your area.
The cost of CBT:
You can get free therapy or counselling through the NHS or you can organise private CBT sessions which typically cost £40 – £100 per session. Your GP can also refer you as well as provide you with all the necessary information to obtain CBT.
The psychological cost of dementia care | Sleepless nights
Caring for a person with dementia is unlike caring for someone with any other condition or disability. This is due to the unpredictable, complex and progressive nature of dementia.
Alzheimer’s Society research finds that carers often struggle to open up about how this can make them feel – with a staggering 60% of carers surveyed experiencing feelings of guilt when seeking support. They experience guilt as they feel they are putting their needs above the needs of the person they are caring for.
Carers of people with dementia often struggle with exhaustion due to the countless sleepless nights, the lack of social interaction, and neglected personal health.
Many people overcome this problem through medication which can be provided through your GP or purchased in pharmacies. However, this is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Often sleeping aids have side-effects that affect your lifestyle. Sleeping pills can cause changes in your appetite, constipation, dizziness, day time drowsiness, difficulty keeping balance and more. Being on a long-term dose of sleeping pills is counter-productive as your body adapts to the medication and dulls the effects of the pill.
CBT is an alternative and well-established treatment for anxiety and depression which is often at the core of someone’s sleeping problem. Likewise, support and education groups for carers have been shown to be helpful.
The ‘Invisible Army’
According to the Alzheimer’s Society 700,000 people in the UK care for someone with dementia. They are mainly unpaid and collectively save the UK economy £11.6 billion per year. An ageing population creates high demand for caring roles.
In this country, unpaid dementia carers prop up our health and social care system. This silent army of husbands, wives, sons and daughters spend 1.3 billion hours a year providing care. This can take an enormous toll on their emotional health and wellbeing.
Home care provides relief to carers when it’s most needed
Often the process of caring for a loved one with dementia is overwhelming. You feel trapped, alone, exhausted, anxious and even depressed. You find that your daily life has changed immensely and you find it hard to manage work and family commitments. CBT provides mental relief to that carer, however, services such as home care allow much-needed relief to those who cannot physically complete all the tasks required to keep their loved ones safe and happy.
At Beloved Homecare, our dementia care services in Urmston give you time to rest and recharge from your caring responsibilities. We understand that short or even long term care benefits not only family members but also the person in need of care. They offer your loved one the opportunity to do something a bit different from their daily routine and provides them with a chance to meet new people.
Our dementia care service provides support for people with complex needs in the comfort of their own home. We are specially trained to care for someone in any of the three stages of dementia (mild, moderate or severe) and work in collaboration with medical professionals and family members to deliver tailored and bespoke care. Our services range from a sitting service for a couple of hours to 24-hour live-in care.
Our reliable, compassionate care team is fully trained so that you have the peace of mind you need to take that much-needed break.
What does Dementia Care include?
Our dementia care services include the full range of personal care and domestic tasks while providing companionship and day to day support.
Areas in which we can help to deliver dementia support include:
- Personal care support
- Meal preparation
- Administration of medication
- Monitoring of food and fluid intake
- Gentle encouragement to complete day-to-day tasks
- Personal care
- Social care – companionship
- Work in collaboration with family members
- Maintain safety and dignity