NovaCare - Dementia Care
Our dementia care team provides enables people to stay living in their own homes longer with greater comfort.
Dementia Care Supports
Dementia describes a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease.
Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with the person’s normal social or working life.
Dementia is a collective term for a number of different neurological changes, including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy bodies, and a range of other conditions that affect cognition.
At NovaCare, we are experienced in providing support to people living with dementia.
If you are caring for someone living with dementia and need support, please enquire through our contact page.
Dementia Care Services Available
In-Home Supports
We offer a wide variety of services to support people living with dementia. From low-touch to clinical support, there are a number of services we can provide to people in their own homes.
To help our people remain at home, we can provide assistance with prompts. For example, we can create signs or other tools to remind them to take medication or perform other tasks at the appropriate time.
We can provide something as simple as a welfare check to ensure that our people are safe and comfortable and have eaten regularly throughout the day.
Respite Care
NovaCare has Newcastle’s only overnight respite cottage.
During the day, we typically have around 10 people come to the cottage for day respite. This provides an environment for activities at a much smaller scale in a quieter setting with a number of breakout areas, such as the garden.
By supporting people to come to the cottage, we provide them with an interesting outing while giving their carer a bit of a break.
The cottage is a fully secured house, so all people who visit can stay in a safe and secure environment with staff who have been trained in dementia techniques and responses. Family members can trust that we are looking after their loved ones with care.
Socialisation
Our consumers can also access our social centers during the day. These centers provide meaningful activities such as art and exercise classes, bus trips and lunch outings, helping people living with dementia to socialise and engage in the community.
For some, however, dementia may lead to challenging behaviours or responses that may make socialisation difficult. For these people, it may be best for our staff visit their homes for one-on-one activities instead.
Why NovaCare is Appropriate to Offer Dementia Supports
All of our staff who deliver any kind of personal care have a Certificate III Individual Support.
We also have trained clinical staff, including registered nurses, Physiotherapists, and Allied health professionals who can assist in supporting client needs.
We hold regular monthly staff meetings at NovaCare, and every meeting includes an element of professional development. Our coordinators complete professional development courses, and our staff regularly review consumer care plans and make changes as they are needed.
We always encourage our staff to get to know the client’s own story and how they react to certain tasks or activities. Being in tune with the client and how we can support them is key.
Contact NovaCare Today
If you know a loved one living with dementia that may benefit from our supports, we’d love to hear from you.
- We offer personal care, allied health, nursing services, transport, respite care and more
- We are a Hunter based, non for profit organisation
- We work with homecare package holders
- You are not locked into our services
For any enquiries you may have, please use our contact page!
FAQ
- How is dementia diagnosed in older adults?
The starting point is often a discussion with a general practitioner.
If someone has concerns about their memory or they can’t recall certain things, they will typically raise this initially with their GP for a diagnosis. Often, if they are displaying certain characteristics, the consumer may be given a test to diagnose a stage of or a condition associated with dementia.
From there, most people would receive a referral to a gerontologist, who would check whether certain medications may help the client maintain their current cognitive abilities or potentially help them stabilise or manage their condition.
- Can NovaCare share a success story?
Yes!
One of our people is a lovely gentleman who lives by himself in town.
During a half day of care in his home, our staff member saw some photos of him playing water polo when he was younger. With this in mind, she contacted Lambton Pool and found out when water polo was being played there.
For their next outing, she then took him to watch the water polo match for a couple of hours.
He had such a great day watching the game, and the staff member enjoyed seeing him excited for it.