One particular area where we are focusing a great deal of our energy and focus is in the area of caring for those with learning difficulties and dementia.

Dementia is an illness affecting the brain. It can affect your memory, thinking and actions. It is progressive, so it will gradually affect you more as time goes on. It's estimated that up to 66,000 people in Scotland have dementia.

Dementia is more common in older people – it affects about 1 in 15 people over the age of 65, but it can sometimes affect younger people too, in their 40s, 50s or even younger – about 1,600 people in Scotland under the age of 65 have dementia.

Our intention is to have our specialist support centres at Balhousie Care homes recognised as the preferred facility in Scotland for men and women with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and associated health issues. Many of our homes have specially designed wings to provide the safe and supportive environment and professional expertise that residents with these conditions require.

In many cases this involves specialist architectural needs to be identified and incorporated into the design and build of these special centres. This is primarily to provide a safe, reassuring facility and protection from self-harming that is fundamental to the well being and care of those "special" residents. Our reputation for excellence in this area of healthcare, and the very encouraging results derived from our holistic approach are some of our proudest recent achievements.

Understanding Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 400,000 people in the UK and an estimated 60,000 in Scotland. The term 'dementia' is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions.

Alzheimer's disease was first described by the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer. It is a physical disease affecting the brain. During the course of the disease, 'plaques' and 'tangles' develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. People with Alzheimer's also have a shortage of some important chemicals in their brains. These chemicals are involved with the transmission of messages within the brain.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, which means that gradually, over time, more parts of the brain are damaged. As this happens, the symptoms become more severe and that’s when often, specialist “around the clock” care is needed.

People in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease may experience lapses of memory and have problems finding the right words. As the disease progresses, they may:

• become confused, and frequently forget the names of people, places, appointments and recent events
• experience mood swings, feel sad or angry and they may even feel scared and frustrated by their increasing memory loss
• become more withdrawn, due either to a loss of confidence or to communication problems.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer's will need more support from those who care for them. Eventually, they will need help with all their daily activities and potentially require 24/7 care.

While there are some common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, it is important to remember that everyone is unique. No two people are likely to experience Alzheimer's disease in the same way.

 

If you have a specific question about the range or level of specialist care available at Balhousie Care homes, please let us know the care needs you're looking for and one of our care team will be back in touch with you.