Ask a dementia care expert about care homes for dementia - chance to win £150 QUESTION SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

In support of World Alzheimer’s Day, Barchester Healthcare is offering you the chance to ask a leading dementia care expert any questions you may have about care homes for people living with dementia and finding the right home for a loved one.

Caroline Baker, Director of Dementia Care at Barchester, has spent many years working with care services to ensure they are taking a person-centred approach that is based on the latest evidence and research in the field. She also deeply understands the emotional pressures involved in choosing a care home and how hard it can be supporting a friend or relative during this time.

Whether you would like to ask a question about yourself, a loved one, or have more general queries about care homes specialising in dementia care, please post your questions for Caroline before 5th October.

About Caroline Baker:
Caroline Baker is Director of Dementia Care at Barchester Healthcare, and has specialised in dementia for 30 years. She is also a published author and won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 for her contribution to the sector. Her latest book ‘Visiting the Memory Café and other Dementia Care Activities’, was released in August.

About Barchester Healthcare:
Barchester Healthcare is a major UK care provider committed to delivering high-quality services across its care homes and hospitals. They pride themselves on offering expert dementia care in their specially designed Memory Lane Communities, where staff are trained to celebrate each person’s individuality and support people to continue living with independence, dignity and choice.

So, ask Caroline your questions about care homes for people living with dementia and finding the right home for a loved one by posting them below by the 5th October. We’ll then choose 20 questions for her to answer and post a link to the responses as soon as possible.

All who post a question below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £150 voucher (whether their question is chosen or not).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

How do you find out which is a good care home for dementia?

How can staff interact with patients to encourage them to continue participating in activities

What are the features of an "outstanding" care home - and how commonplace are those features?

What do you think of so called 'dementia villages' such as the one near Amsterdam. Do you think they have a positive impact on the lives of those living with dementia and do they have a place in the UK?

What are the best ways to help a loved one transition from home to care home and what support is provided for this transition?

How do I know if my mum has dementia or if it's just the natural changes of ageing?

What emotional support is there for families who have a parent with dementia? My mum has become very nasty and hurtful to us and can be occasionally violent? We don't know where to go for emotional support, it's hard as she is no longer the woman she was, but is now a stranger.

Do you think we have enough care homes coping with dementia sufferers as it is such a specialised form of care?

I'd be interested to know what happens to people when they (or their family) run out of money to pay for the care home. Are they thrown out on the street?

My mum has mild cognitive impairment and is deteriorating rather quickly now. Her mum had dementia and I am concerned that my mum will soon become as bad. My mum is only 73, I was wondering what was the average age that someone needed residential care

My Uncle had dementia and his determination to stay in his own home meant that he hired a private carer. The carer moved in, forced all family away in a very manipulative manner, made my Uncle change his will and eventually she somehow convinced him to marry her. We missed out on the lovely relationship we had had with our uncle for years before she came in and pushed all family members out. Sadly I believe that she was only doing it for his money as it wasn't the first time she had done this and his dementia meant that he was very vulnerable. What protective measures are in place to stop this kind of abuse and manipulation occurring with elderly patients? We found we could do nothing to help. I'm assuming that in a care home, there would have been better boundaries in place?

Thanks for all the Qs - a selection of these (across all topics asked about) have now been sent to Caroline Baker at Barchester.

Thistledew wins the £150 voucher!

what are the signs of alzheimer's that i should look out for? how do nusring homes deal with alzheimer's do they treat each person as an indiviual or do they follow some form of guidelines???

If dementia runs in the family is their anything we can do to significantly reduce our risk or is it just luck of the draw?

Hi

Just wondering when Caroline's answers will be posted.

Thank you