Personalisation for older people in supported housing
Lifelong couple Brian and Olive live in specialist supported accommodation. Brian has been Olive’s carer since she developed dementia. The housing complex where they live is managed as a community in which each individual is valued for the contribution they can make. The manager explains how important it is for carers as well as the person with dementia to maintain their individual identity and role as partner. The value of having a flexible, responsive individual care plan is also emphasised in the film. Richard, whose mother has dementia, explains how important it was for his mum and dad to be able to stay living together, even when his mum’s needs increased. The film concludes by stating that having well trained and selected staff is vital for achieving personalisation.
Messages for practice
- Maintaining the personal relationships and identities of people with dementia and their carers who are partners and family members is essential.
- Specialist supported accommodation is an important option for people with dementia.
- It is vital that care plans are flexible and responsive to changes in people’s needs.
- Recruiting the right staff and good training are crucial for delivering good personalised support in this type of setting.
Who will find this useful?
Commissioners; managers of care homes and supported accommodation; social care workers supporting people with dementia; people with dementia, their carers and families; social care and social work students; the general public.