Shared Care
Shared Care is a pioneering model of care developed by care charity Brendoncare which will enable dementia sufferers and their partners to live together independently in their own homes on a dedicated campus with all nursing care, personal care and other services brought to them if and whenever needed. With expert staff, careful 'Smart' design and the judicious use of Assistive Technology, Brendoncare will effectively 'share the care' with the resident, resident's family and carers.
Brendoncare will achieve this through the creation of an environment that meets the special needs of dementia. A sympathetically designed safe campus will house apartments with the latest 'Smart Design' and using a full range of Assistive Technologies, offering full control and discreet support for the residents at their own choice. These apartments will be complemented by the on-site nursing unit which will offer episodic care to residents when required and provide an on-site team of qualified nursing and care staff, to deliver whatever care is needed 24/7.
Treatment of mental health remains one of the most prevalent unmet needs for older people and yet most care for dementia sufferers is delivered informally by unpaid family members, other unpaid carers or directly-employed individuals. Research has shown that although many carers gain satisfaction from their role they also experience high levels of burden and mental distress. It is often the unremitting nature of the demands of the dementia sufferer which grinds down the most dedicated carers. With timely help, opportunities to have a break and the guarantee of support in a crisis, the contribution of the informal carer can be hugely improved.
Shared Care will be the first example of a format of care that offers unconditional support for both the dementia patient and the carers in their own home. It will encourage them to remain independent while providing the security of knowing that there is a full range of specialist help at hand to share the burden of living with this cruelly progressive disease. It will help to retain dignity and promote independence, offering the opportunity for residents to remain in charge of the type and frequency of care they receive.
Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill
Brendoncare hopes to develop its first Shared Care facility in Otterbourne Hill in Hampshire. It would comprise 34 'total care living' two bedroom Shared Care apartments and a 20 bed nursing centre. An integral part of the concept would be the themed services which promote normal living such as a restaurant, community room, library, lounge, recreation centre, hairdressing salon, shop and coffee shop. Importantly, especially for the very frail, these facilities would be near at hand and 'older people friendly'.
Click here for full details about our plans for Otterbourne Hill
The apartments will be suitable for disabled living and the discreet delivery of health care for people with dementia, through a range of carefully selected Assistive Technologies ie products and services designed to enable independence for disabled and older people. These could include:
- supportive technologies to help people perform tasks that they may find difficult (eg video entry systems and medication reminder units)
- detection and reaction (responsive) technologies to help people manage risks and raise alarms (eg example panic buttons/pendants)
- prediction and intervention (preventative) technologies to help prevent dangerous situations and raise alarms (eg falls predictors, monitors for assessing physiological symptoms and room occupancy monitors).
Importantly, the fact that all the apartments have two bedrooms offers flexible care and living solutions, and allows couples to remain together even if only one person requires nursing care, while also enabling visitors, family members or a carer to stay overnight.
The 20 bed nursing centre will provide continuing care to residents with dementia whose preference is for a more traditional 'nursing home' care service. The centre will also provide episodic (respite) care for those in the apartments if and when needed.
Brendoncare and the Otterbourne community
Brendoncare is committed to developing links with its communities and to becoming a vital service for older people locally. It is hoped to develop a dementia daycare service to afford local families occasional or regular respite.