Guide launched to help families plan days out with people living with dementia

Care UK has launched ‘Good to Go’, a guide created to help families who care for loved ones living with dementia.

The guide offers tips and advice on how to overcome possible challenges faced when planning a day out and ways to transform days out for people living with dementia.

Head of care and clinical services at Care UK, Pauline Houchin has 36 years of experience working in the care sector and has experience of being a family carer. She is now managing two Care UK teams providing training and supper to care homes, in addition to working with a specialist dementia team who focus on resident well-being.

Ms Houchin believes the guide could improve the day-to-day experiences of people living with dementia and their close family members who are also affected by the disease.

She said: “It’s absolutely essential that family carers are given support and practical advice to enable them and their loved ones to enjoy all the benefits of being outdoors as often as they can.

“Anecdotal feedback suggests outdoor activities can bring back memories to give those living with dementia moments of calm and clarity; however it’s perfectly understandable that with so many physical and emotional demands on carers it is all too easy to fall into a routine and stay indoors.”

'Packed with tips to make a difference to those who see trips out as a challenge'

Care UK reports that the guide was created to help carers of those living with dementia, with fears about their loved one getting lost and confused if something were to go wrong on a day out as people living with dementia can be fearful to leave their own homes.

Ms Houchin continued: “Good to Go is packed with tips which we hope will really make a difference to those who see trips out as a challenge too far. It’s so important to remember that being good to go doesn’t have to mean going far afield or on long days out. For someone living with dementia, it can be enough to simply watch the wildlife in the garden, or to walk to a local coffee shop.

“Contributors to the guide suggest building in lots of flexibility when making plans, and then being prepared to go with the moment – don’t push the person to do something they really don’t want to do, but similarly be happy to act if they express a sudden desire for a stroll around the park.

“As the guide points out, there really is no need to be held indoors by the weather. In fact, being able to feel the wind on your face or the smell of fish and chips in the air can give those living with dementia a sense of time and place and a welcome distraction from their symptoms. Those who shared their experiences for the guide advised throwing on a warm coat, getting out into the fresh air and enjoying all the benefits it brings.”

Broadcaster, journalist and ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, Angela Rippon became carer for her late mother, Edna when she was diagnosed with vascular dementia and has welcomed the publication of Good to Go.

She said: “In my experience, there are good days and bad days when caring for someone with a memory-impairment condition such as dementia, but it’s really important for you and the person you’re caring for to regularly get out and about – to enjoy a change of scenery and feel the sun on your face from time to time.

'We found getting outdoors was the secret to turning a bad day into a good day'

“When my late mother Edna first received her diagnosis, I didn’t know anything about the condition – I had to rely on help and advice from others. It was very difficult to not constantly question if I was doing the right thing, treating mum in the right way.

“Ensuring mum still felt part of the community and could take part in the same activities she always had, such as a trip to the hairdressers, was essential to her quality of life. We often found getting outdoors was the secret to turning a bad day into a good day, and it cheered me to know I was doing something positive for mum’s well-being.”

The guide highlights the importance of people living with dementia being able to go out and about with their carers for their emotional and physical well-being as well as offering advice from people working and living in Care UK care homes and family carers.

Ms Houchin added: “We hope Good to Go really helps carers feel supported, know how to prepare, and feel confident when going out with loved ones. Yes, activities may need to be adapted, but just because a person is living with dementia it doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things they love. Shape trips around their personal interests and keep activities familiar – based on what they used to enjoy doing. Ask your loved one where they want to go, be prepared to go with the flow, and above all, make the most of those moments of togetherness.”

To download a copy of Good to Go, visit: http://www.careuk.com/care-homes/good-to-go or visit any Care UK care home.