Care options for a person with dementia

Already in this guide we've touched care homes and at home care, two important options for people with dementia. However, moving someone into a care home doesn’t have to be the only route you consider. You might want to think about other care options that would enable the person to stay living at home.

Respite care

Respite care is a form of temporary care for the person with dementia. It aims to give the carer a break from their caring role, and to give both the carer and the person with dementia some time away from each other. It is also known as restorative care, short-break care or replacement care.

Some respite care will be in the person’s home – this is sometimes known as a ‘sitting service’. It could also involve the person being cared for elsewhere, like in a day centre or on a short holiday. 

Some care homes also offer short stays for people who want to try respite care. This can give the person with dementia a chance to experience a care home for a temporary period. Some people move into the care home permanently after this.

Shared Lives 

Another option for respite care is the Shared Lives scheme. 

This is where a person who has care needs stays in the home of someone who is an approved Shared Lives carer. The carer can then provide support to the person with dementia during their stay. 

Sheltered housing and assisted living for a person with dementia

You may also want to consider whether a form of sheltered housing or assisted living would be a good option for the person with dementia. These are types of housing where a person can live independently but have support on hand should they need it.

Sheltered housing

This is housing that can be bought or rented as part of a sheltered housing scheme. It is sometimes known as retirement housing.

These schemes offer different services, but most will include:

• Support from a manager or warden – ask how much time they spend on site, as this can vary 
• Links to local services such as a bus to the shopping centre or hospital
• An alarm system providing emergency assistance at any time of day or night
• Communal areas, such as gardens or lounges, where social events may take place. 

Assisted living

This is housing that’s been built or adapted to suit people with long-term conditions or disabilities. It is also known as supported living or extra care housing.

This housing can be bought or rented privately, or may be arranged by the local authority.

Assisted living arrangements offer more support than sheltered housing. They can include domestic support, like shopping or laundry services. They can also include help with personal care, like washing and dressing. The services offered will be different for each scheme.

These arrangements can be a good first step for someone who needs a little more support with daily tasks. However, as the person’s dementia progresses, their needs will increase. In the future, they may need to move somewhere where they can receive more support.

It can be disorientating and unsettling for some people with dementia to move homes more than once. Bear this in mind if you’re looking at this type of living arrangement.

The Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) has a service called Housing Care. It can provide more advice and information on these types of housing.