Dementia care

At West Hall care home we provide high quality care and support for residents living with dementia care by treating them as individuals.

We understand that each person living with us has distinct needs. Our dedicated carers spend time getting to understand the complete needs and desires of each of our residents and work to provide opportunity and choice that empowers residents to take control of their life decisions.

What is dementia and dementia care?

The term “dementia” is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. It is a progressive condition which each person experiences in their own individual way. Symptoms include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.

At West Hall we recognise that each person is an individual with unique needs, a rich history, different experiences, abilities, preferences and personalities. We recognise the symptoms of the illness and accommodate them in our approach, we look for opportunities to build on the individual’s strengths and find ways to compensate for the losses brought about by dementia to ensure the best quality of life. By responding to the individual and supporting what they can do with a personalised dementia care plan, our approach respects the uniqueness of each person rather than focusing on the diagnosis of dementia.

Life story

At West Hall our carers are trained in completing detailed care plans with the help of residents, their family, friends and their life story. These plans are used daily and help to maintain the identity and dignity of the person as the dementia progresses, providing important information, such as how they like their cup of tea. 

Life story supports the person in expressing themselves by talking about their lives and experiences. For those providing care and support, it enables them to see the person rather than the symptoms of the illness and to tailor meaningful activities and daily life accordingly.

Multi-skilled teams, dedicated to a small number of residents

At West Hall we have created a vibrant community and ensure our residents’ emotional needs are acknowledged and understood with sensitivity. Every resident is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their level of dependence, and is allowed to live a fulfilling life through the support of the carers and the community they live in.

Each carer looks after the same small number of residents and participates in activities along with daily living requirements. This is especially beneficial for our residents with dementia, as it means they have the same carers supporting them every day, rather than lots of different members of staff and are able to develop strong, meaningful relationships that encourage trust and friendship.

Our carers use conversation and active listening to understand the holistic needs and desires of our residents and are able to facilitate and create independence within personal limitations, empowering residents to take control of their life decisions.

Each member of staff is carefully recruited and trained to ensure that warmth and understanding is at the heart of everything they do. We ensure our services reflect best practice and learning in dementia care. West Hall has a dedicated Key Contact dementia specialist and all staff will receive ongoing dementia training and support. We are committed to advanced dementia care training for our staff and those who complete and graduate from our advanced dementia course are registered as Dignity Champions in line with the national campaign managed by the Social Institute of Excellence in Care.

Find out more about our team on the right people page.

We are committed to delivering exceptional service levels and make sure our residents can always rely on a friendly face and helping hand 24-hours a day. All the staff at West Hall wear easily recognisable uniforms relevant to their role ensuring they can be identified by residents, relatives and visitors.

Safe and supportive environment

We offer dementia care in a specially adapted environment that has a number of features to help our residents enjoy their new home to the full.

At West Hall, Birch Lodge residence is devoted entirely to residents with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. As in the other residential buildings, residents receive support with the activities of daily living, but in Birch Lodge the team have a specialised focus on understanding people living with the effects of dementia. 

The award-winning dementia design of the entire care home helps residents to familiarise themselves with their new home, while the interiors are designed to create a safe, calming environment for our residents when they go about their day-to-day activities. As a result, we aim to maximise a person’s independence and enhance their self-esteem.

Our residents have the opportunity to move around safely in their home. They are supported in this by the use of defined areas and appropriate signage that is clearly worded and pictorially illustrated, enabling residents to orientate themselves. Considered use of colour contrast helps make our buildings understandable to those with impaired memory and high levels of anxiety.

West Hall offers both lively living spaces and places for quiet reflection. We also have fireplaces in lounges which reflect a family home environment and large windows which give a huge amount of natural light. All living areas benefit from a variety of interesting views which generate a feeling of being connected to the day-to-day activities of West Hall’s community.

Find out more about the unique design of West Hall on the Our home pages.

Making the most of being outdoors

At West Hall we understand the importance of access to the outdoors, as it provides the opportunity for exercise, fresh air, relieves tension and anxiety and offers personal space for reflection and privacy. Being outside stimulates the production of vitamin D, helping to maintain healthy muscles and bones. It also offers stimulation in the form of different colours, textures and natural smells and sounds. Spending time outside in a garden has been shown to positively affect a person’s emotions and to improve their sense of well-being.

Our beautiful gardens at West Hall are a pleasure to explore in a safe and secure way. There are established trees alongside young lawns that have been carefully landscaped to make the gardens interesting to walk around. Being outside is a great way for residents to observe the changing seasons.

Dining at West Hall

Recent research has shown that a calm and homely environment encourages residents to eat, whereas larger, nosier environments can be distracting and even distressing to someone with dementia. This is why we have created smaller dining areas in each of our residences, which feel more intimate and appealing to our residents.

The dining experience is a great opportunity for social interaction and involvement. We ensure that our décor at West Hall helps to stimulate appetite, whilst our carefully considered menus offer healthy, tasty and nutritious choices every day. Our customers decide when, where and who to dine with, and their carer will be invited to enjoy the meal with them if desired.

There are also many opportunities for our residents to dine and cook and prepare meals in the Manor House, so that they can feel part of the running of their home and can carry our familiar activities.

Find out more about the dining experience at West Hall.

Maintaining close bonds

Strong relationships are fundamental to everyone’s happiness and well-being. These relationships can be more difficult for a person with dementia to maintain as memory and communication skills diminish. Maintaining close bonds with families and friends is actively encouraged at West Hall, visitors are most welcome any time and can join residents in activities and for meals. 

Our team are happy to answer questions about dementia any time and can also offer support, information and advice to relatives of our residents.