Dementia Care at Hartland House

At Hartland House, we class ourselves as ‘dementia friendly.’ That means that, while we are not a secure EMI unit, we can often meet the needs of many individuals living with dementia depending on their individual situation.

Every resident is carefully and sensitively assessed before admission to ensure that we are confident we can successfully meet their needs and then they are supported throughout their trial period in a way that works for them. Whether that’s through extra visits from family, keeping a routine that they’re used to or facilitating phone or video calls with family members, our team do whatever they can to support residents to settle comfortably into life at Hartland House. 

The home itself has been carefully designed to promote physical, emotional and mental well-being, especially for those living with dementia. Our purposefully chosen, neutral colour scheme throughout the home ensures that residents aren’t unsettled by clashing colours or ’loud’ patterns. Our maintenance and housekeeping team are extremely pro-active, flagging any concerns as soon as they’re noticed to ensure that we avoid having trip hazards or other health and safety concerns. We have clear and easy to understand signage, many with universally recognised symbols, to enable those with dementia to remain as independent as possible. 

Our team go the extra mile to get to know every resident on a personal level, learning those all important triggers and support techniques that work for them as an individual. Every member of staff takes part in regular dementia training and workshops so that they can successfully support every resident with their, often fluctuating, care needs. 

As a home, we find it incredibly useful when families provide a list of activities, songs, films, foods and drinks that their relative enjoys and that brings them happiness. We actively encourage families to provide a ‘memory book’ with photographs and clear descriptions, so that our staff can support residents to look through it as often as they need.  We find that having something familiar on hand that they can share with our team, look through pictures and reminisce, really helps to build that trust and positive relationship which is the key to successfully caring with anyone living with dementia.