Getting a helping hand to remain independent with dementia – and what to look for when choosing a care home

Ensuring there’s access to support can be crucial for the person with dementia – and the people caring for them, says Victoria Lyons, a specialist dementia nurse at Dementia UK.

‘To access this you need to organise a “care needs assessment”.

‘Anyone whose dementia is affecting daily life, safety or independence is entitled to this assessment – and it does exactly that, identifies what the needs are and what support that person will require to meet those needs.

‘This can be organised by the person themselves, by their GP or a relative. It involves contacting the local authority who’ll then ask someone from social services to visit the person with dementia at home,’ she adds.

Once the care needs are assessed, they will carry out a financial assessment. This will involve forms about the person’s finances.

If the person diagnosed with dementia has above £23,250 in savings (the home isn’t assessed, only what’s in the bank), they will not be able to receive any financial help for their care needs, whatever these are.

The decision should take four to six weeks to come through but delays do occur, so try to organise the assessment as soon as you can.

Victoria Lyons adds: ‘Make sure this is reviewed at least every 12 months – sooner if there has been a significant change in the person’s circumstances.’

Dementia is Britain’s biggest killer, and there are around 944,000 people in the UK living with the condition 

If you’re the carer and look after someone with dementia for at least 35 hours a week – and that person receives benefits such as an attendance allowance [AA] or personal independence payment [PIP] – a carer’s assessment is also available for a carer’s allowance. This is currently £83.80 a week.’

To be eligible, you need to earn less than £196 a week after tax. Again, it’s a case of contacting the local authority, who’ll organise a social worker to visit the home.

‘Sometimes it’s a good idea to have someone else there to give insights you might not share about what your caring role involves and how it actually affects you,’ says Victoria Lyons.

Another option is NHS continuing healthcare (CHC).

Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.

‘If there are complex health and care needs, CHC includes the entire cost of home carer visits or of a care home – and it isn’t means tested,’ says Lauren Pates, from Alzheimer’s Society.

Eligibility is not based on diagnosis, nor is it defined in law. The key requirement is that the majority of the person’s care is focused on addressing health needs: someone can be very dependent on care and support, but they don’t require significant care to keep them healthy.

Around 80 per cent of applications were rejected in 2024, so the case needs to be strong. 

Good evidence can increase the chances of success, so include relevant care notes, medical reports and consider keeping a diary of needs and interventions.

Applications need to be via the local Integrated Care Board (ICB), but the social enterprise, Beacon, can offer independent advice on how to get started. 

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short–term memory loss

Visit beaconchc.co.uk, or call 0345 548 0300. 

Beacon is funded by NHS England, so there’s no payment required for up to 90 minutes of advice, although other services may be charged.

Decisions on CHC should be made within 28 days of the initial assessment, though unfortunately delays are still common.

‘If the person isn’t eligible for CHC, they may be eligible for funded nursing care instead,’ says Lauren Pates.

‘However, this is only the case if they require care in a nursing home.

‘This is a small contribution (currently £254.06 per week in England), to cover nursing costs only.

‘The rest of the care fees will be subject to the means–tested social care system.’

For help and support with all aspects of dementia visit: alzheimers.org.uk

What to look for when choosing a care home 

Around 70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Society – but not all patients will end up in one.

Indeed, some people and their carers prefer to be at home with extra support supplied. This means they continue living somewhere that’s familiar and feels safe (see main piece, above).

But if you are looking at care homes, there are things you or your loved one should consider. First, check what the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the independent regulator of health and social care services in England – says about the home, go to cqc.org.uk.

Here, Jo James, dementia nurse at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, offers her tips on finding a suitable care home for someone with dementia. 

In an ideal world the person who’ll be moving into the care home should play a part in the decisions so that everyone is reassured that it’s a home they feel happy to move into.

• Dementia specialist care homes are available (you can specify a dementia specialist care home when searching on the CQC website). These tend to be designed with features, such as colours on doors and carpets to help residents know where they are and simple building plans to make it easier to move around. Specialist care homes may claim staff are trained in dementia but as there are no legal requirements for this, you should ask exactly what this training is and how often that training is updated.
• Check if the care home has access to specialised equipment, such as hoists or standing aids. In the later stages of dementia, some people develop mobility problems (the condition damages areas of the brain responsible for coordinating body movements), so it’s important to know a home will be able to cater for that.
• The involvement of families in the life of someone with dementia is vital, so ask how often it’s possible to visit. Also, can you join in with events? Can those living in the care home be taken out? If you want full accessibility, what are the policies on this?
• A variety of healthcare support is vital in dementia, so make sure you know what your chosen care home offers. Ask about therapies such as speech and language therapy, art therapy or music therapy.
• If it’s not a specialist dementia care home, is it a dementia–friendly environment? Is there clear signage on site? Is the layout straightforward and is it easy to get around? This can be very important to some patients in alleviating stress and anxiety, which can further add to cognitive decline.
• Do the residents in the care home live well? Are they taken on trips to local points of interest, libraries, walks or local nature venues, for instance? These types of activities can help those with dementia to keep active and well.
• Dementia is life–limiting, so you need to consider whether the selected care home is the place you, or your loved one, would like to die in. What is the access to palliative care services? Look at what they do to manage pain and ease symptoms. Also check to see if they offer emotional or spiritual comfort when the time comes.