Alzheimer’s care – Response Care

Alzheimer’s care - everything you need to know

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the UK.

This progressive neurological condition primarily affects the hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for day-to-day memory. Over time, the disease causes a build-up of abnormal proteins, known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which disrupt communication between nerve cells. As more brain cells become damaged and die, cognitive function declines, and brain tissue begins to shrink.

While Alzheimer’s disease is currently incurable, people living with the condition can still lead long, fulfilling lives with the right care, support, and environment.

Care Options for Alzheimer’s Disease

Choosing the right care for someone living with Alzheimer’s depends on their personal journey and the stage of the condition. Below, we explore some of the care routes available to families.

Residential Alzheimer’s Care

Residential care homes, including specialist nursing homes, can offer 24-hour supervision and structured routines, particularly suited for those with advanced symptoms. These settings are often easier to access through local authority support and are staffed by care professionals trained in managing complex needs.

However, only a small percentage of people with Alzheimer’s live in residential care. Many continue to live at home, supported by services such as live-in care, which offer a more personalised and familiar environment.

While specialist care homes may offer medical oversight, they can be more costly — with fees varying significantly by region. On average, residential care can cost around £845 per week, with fees rising to over £1,500 in parts of London and the South East.

Live-In Alzheimer’s Care at Home

At Response Care, we provide experienced live-in carers trained in supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. This option allows for tailored, one-to-one care within the comfort and familiarity of home.

Live-in care evolves with your needs — from early-stage support to more intensive assistance as the condition progresses. Here are some of the unique advantages:

Continuity and Comfort
Remaining in your own home supports emotional wellbeing and helps maintain daily routines — reducing disorientation and promoting independence.
Staying Active in the Community
Staying socially and physically active plays a vital role in slowing cognitive decline. Live-in care encourages safe participation in hobbies, outings, and social connections, reducing isolation and the risk of depression.
Ongoing Relationships with Pets
For many people, pets are a source of comfort and stability. Staying at home means individuals can continue enjoying the companionship of their animals, which has been shown to reduce stress and support heart health.
Nutritionally Tailored Meals
Carers can plan and prepare meals according to dietary needs, helping support overall health and potentially delaying the progression of dementia symptoms.
Consistent Medical Care
Receiving care at home means individuals can remain under the supervision of their existing GP, maintaining trusted relationships and continuity in treatment.

At Response Care, we believe in a personalised, compassionate approach to Alzheimer’s care — one that respects the individual, upholds their dignity, and supports families every step of the way. If you’re exploring care options for yourself or a loved one, we’re here to help you make an informed and confident choice.

Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Care

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, it’s natural to feel uncertain — but this is also the ideal time to begin planning ahead. Exploring care options early can help you make informed decisions and ensure the right support is in place as the condition progresses.

When you first notice signs such as forgetfulness or confusion in a loved one, it’s helpful to gather as much information as possible. Speaking with their GP is a key first step. There are also several well-established organisations and support groups across the UK that can provide guidance and practical resources for families.

Recognising the early signs allows you to consider adjustments in daily routines, home environments, and levels of care. With the right preparation, you can create a stable and supportive setting for your loved one that promotes wellbeing and independence.

Medical Treatments for Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Although there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, early-stage treatment options may help ease symptoms and support quality of life.

Your loved one may be prescribed medications designed to improve memory, concentration, and cognitive function. These can contribute to maintaining a sense of clarity and confidence for longer.

Commonly prescribed medications include:

Donepezil – Often taken at night, this medication may help improve focus, mental alertness, and cognitive ability.
Rivastigmine – Typically taken twice a day, this treatment supports awareness and mental function and may also be used for related conditions such as Parkinson’s-related dementia.

These medications do not stop the progression of the disease, but they can temporarily reduce symptoms, helping individuals to remain independent for as long as possible. Life expectancy following diagnosis can vary, with some individuals living well for many years.

Supporting Alzheimer’s Without Medication

Medication is only one part of a wider approach. Living well with Alzheimer’s involves considering the full picture — supporting not just the mind, but also the body and emotional wellbeing. There is growing evidence that certain lifestyle changes can help slow the rate of decline and enhance overall quality of life.

Here are some non-medical approaches that can make a real difference:

Regular Physical Activity
Gentle daily movement, such as walking, swimming, yoga, or tai chi, can support both physical health and cognitive function. Keeping active doesn’t require intense exercise — consistency and enjoyment matter most.
Social Engagement
Staying connected with others is proven to reduce the effects of memory loss and support emotional wellbeing. Maintaining regular contact with friends, family, or community groups can provide purpose and companionship.
Mental Stimulation
Activities that challenge the brain can help delay cognitive decline. Whether it’s reading the paper, completing puzzles, engaging in creative hobbies, or learning new skills, mental engagement is a valuable daily habit.

At Response Care, we believe that early planning and holistic care are essential for living well with Alzheimer’s. Whether you’re seeking information, emotional support, or practical care options, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.

Middle-stage Alzheimer’s care

When it comes to care, this time of the diseases progress is all about being adaptable, calm and patient with increasingly difficult circumstances. This can severely impair someone’s ability to remain independent, meaning they can become increasingly reliant on someone helping them out.

For family carers, the middle stages can spell the start of frequent personal care requirements. These are generally characterised by support with washing, dressing and occasionally toileting – although this can vary significantly from person to person.

If you’re looking after a loved one, you may start to notice individual quirks related to their cognitive decline. In response, you’ll likely have developed strategies to cope.

However, with the support and advice from a medical professional or GP, the middle stages are the best time to put a professional carer in the home.

This will allow your loved one to begin to accept them into their routine for the most acute stages that are unfortunately yet to come. That aside, they can simply be a great support, offering lots of practical help.

Household tasks – At this point in the progression of Alzheimer’s, it’s likely a person will be less able to undertake those all-important daily household tasks. Those necessary to ensure the home is a safe and comfortable environment to be in. This includes duties such as household cleaning and laundry.
Preventing wandering – As symptoms become more acute, it can become unsafe to leave your loved one by themselves. They may begin to wander round, seemingly aimlessly, which can be a danger to themselves and others. A live-in carer is able to give someone a reassuring hand when this happens, gently guiding them back to a safe place.
Relieving loneliness – Loneliness among the elderly can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. This can lead to depression, which is likely to accelerate the onset of symptoms. A carer can spark conversation and, over time, may even become a friend.
Driving them to where they need to be – If your loved one’s condition has deteriorated to the extent they’re unable to drive around safely on their own, this is something a carer can do. It can be a vital way to ensure social occasions and routines are met — particularly vital for those who live in rural areas. It can also be important to have someone there who can remind them about appointments, and ensure they get there on time.
Supporting with activities – A large body of research indicates that mental stimulation can help reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms. A live-in carer is able to help promote valuable hobbies, interests and activities. This could be everything from board games and jigsaw puzzles to cooking together and spending time in the garden.
Continence support – At middle-stage Alzheimer’s, it’s unlikely that someone will need constant support with toileting. However, intermittently and increasingly, trouble going to the toilet will become more acute. This can be for a number of reasons, including sensory impairment and losing orientation. A carer can support someone to get to the loo, or help clean up if they don’t quite manage it.

Late-stage Alzheimer’s care

As the symptoms become increasingly acute, so does the level of care that’s required. The later stages can be identified by a steep deterioration in someone’s condition. This can be an incredibly distressing time, and not one in which one family member should be left to cope caring alone.

Realistically, even if you’ve held off on getting outside help, as the disease intensifies you should really assess getting support. A live-in carer can help your loved one feel as comfortable, safe and supported as possible throughout this difficult and extraordinary time. This support can also give you the time to enjoy their company for the rest of the time they have.

Here is a run through of the kind of tasks your carer may undertake during the later stages of Alzheimer’s:

Eating and drinking

A vital component of late-stage Alzheimer’s care is ensuring the person being cared for is sufficiently fed. Clearly, as a person becomes increasingly inactive, the amount of they food required is reduced. However, it’s still vital they are well sustained and get to enjoy their favourite meals as much as is possible.

During the later stages of Alzheimer’s, the following could be required to support healthy eating and drinking.

The right posture – This is all about helping your loved one to sit in a position in which they’re able to easily digest food. It’s recommended that they sit upright for 30 minutes after meals, although this can be different depending on someone’s frailty.
Tailored meals – With a live-in carer, meals can always be adapted to someone’s individual tastes. But at this stage of Alzheimer’s disease, they can be adapted to someone’s individual needs. Usually that means choosing softer foods that are easier to chew and swallow, as well as thickening liquid that may represent a choking risk. Sensory changes can also mean that certain foods may not taste the same.
Support with eating – As well as specific meals, someone living with symptoms of advanced dementia are likely going to need a bit of help with feeding. This will generally be the encouragement of them to eat themselves. This can be done by putting a spoon into someone’s hand and then guiding it into their mouth. For those with more acute symptoms, this could be following each bite with fluids, reminding the person to chew and swallow, as well as making sure they’ve eaten everything.

Promote hydration – Those with advanced dementia often will find it difficult to remember that they need to remain hydrated. This is of particular concern for the elderly, as they can become dehydrated more easily. They may also need someone there to ensure they’ve properly swallowed all of the fluid.
Checking for weight loss – It’s not unusual for those in the later stages of advanced dementia to experience weight loss. However, this needs to be closely monitored to ensure it’s not a side effect of medication, or even a sign there’s something else wrong.

Continence care

In the later stages of neurological degeneration, trouble toileting is likely to become an increasing problem. This is for a variety of reasons.

It may be that mobility issues prevent someone from reaching the loo in time. It might be because sensual impairment stops someone from being able to feel they need to go. For some, it’s not being able to communicate to a carer that they need the toilet. And for others, issues with orientation can mean they’re unaware of where the toilet is.

Tracking toileting – Sometimes, it might be useful for a carer to keep a written log of the intervals between toilet breaks. This can help them monitor and adjust to the person receiving care’s individual habits and needs.
Administering laxatives – As constipation is both uncomfortable and a cause of incontinence, a carer may decide to monitor bowel movements and administer laxatives as appropriate.
Checking fluids – As has already been noted, staying hydrated is more important for the elderly. However, it’s important for a carer to ensure fluids are being consumed at the right time of day. Too much to drink before bed can increase the risk of bladder incontinence at bed time.
Apply incontinence protection – Senior incontinence pads or a bedpan can help make nighttime incontinence a little easier. The carer will replace them when required to ensure your loved one is clean and comfortable.

Bone and skin health

The less mobile a person with late-stage Alzheimer’s becomes, the increased likelihood that they’ll be bed or chair-bound. This can have significant implications for someone’s skin and bone health. Problems such as pressure sores, frozen joints and the deterioration of the skin are all fairly common for those living with Alzheimer’s.

If these aren’t kept on top of, they can lead to a serious deterioration in someone’s health. Luckily, a carer is able to spot the signs and help relieve some of these symptoms. Here’s some of the things they can do:

Reducing spot pressure – When a person remains in the same position for a long period of time, the pressure on a weakened body can restrict circulation. A carer is able to move someone’s position at regular enough intervals to stop this from happening, making them comfortable in a new position with pillows and supports.
Gentle cleaning – The skin of an elderly person in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease may tear more easily than before. This requires a more gentle approach to hygiene. The person receiving care should be treated more delicately and milder soaps should be used. The carer can also use it as an opportunity to check for rashes and sores.
Handling with care – With frail bones and the aforementioned risk of skin tears, ease of injury is increased. This is especially true when it comes to moving someone from one position or place to another. A carer should have a good understanding of the best practices when it comes to ensuring risk of injury is reduced.

Helping to prevent infections

Staying in a sedentary position increases the likelihood of contracting pneumonia and the flu. Reducing risk is about taking a more holistic approach to avoiding infection.

Oral health – Keeping the teeth and mouth of someone living with late-stage Alzheimer’s clean is essential to help prevent infection. That means after every meal. And, because teeth can be more brittle with age, a softer, less abrasive toothbrush is ideal. Gum health is equally important.
Dressing wounds – When someone is frail, small cuts are a likely occurrence. A carer is able to identify, clean and cover minor cuts, applying antibacterial creams, such as Savlon, as appropriate. Although, if these are deep, medical attention should be sought and it’s likely an ambulance should be called.

Making life more comfortable

As people in the later stages are more prone to infection, bumps and cuts, they may occasionally feel in pain. However, this can be an issue if they’re unable to communicate that this is the case. It takes a carer with experience to understand when a person is feeling pain. They can do this by:

Recognising changing moods – Although it might not be easy for someone to let a carer know they’re feeling discomfort, a change in mood or behaviour could be a sign. A live-in carer may look for signs of a person becoming increasingly agitated, anxious, or even aggressive. Difficulty keeping a regular sleeping pattern can also be a sign of changes in mood.
Recognising physical distress – Someone doesn’t have to actively tell you they’re in pain to communicate they’re in distress. Tell tale signs include pale skin and gums, shaking, and throwing up.
Recognising ‘nonverbal’ signs – Other ways someone may indicate they’re in pain include warnings such as pained — or wincing — facial expressions, screeches and screams.

Palliative Alzheimer’s care

‘Palliative’ can be a bit of a confusing word. In short, it just means support for someone with a terminal illness. It’s a necessary step for someone with Alzheimer’s when symptoms have begun to deteriorate to the point in which they can no longer cope alone.

Palliative care may be needed for a few weeks, months or years. There are no limits. It’s all about ensuring anyone with a terminal condition is able to live out the rest of the time they have left with dignity, without discomfort or distress.

Usually, we find it’s best for families to choose a live-in carer with palliative experience when they know a loved one is facing a life-limiting condition.

For Alzheimer’s, this would be in the middle stages. As continuity is crucial, it can really bring that additional peace of mind to know you’ve someone the whole family will get used to and trust.

End of life care

This differs from palliative care because it’s focused on those very final stages of someone’s life. It’s usually additional to any long-term support you may have put in place from a live-in carer.

Realistically, this is something families will only consider in the final weeks and months of someone’s life. With that in mind, it’s about helping someone pass away in a peaceful and dignified way, in as much comfort as possible and those they love around them.

It’s at this point that any advance decisions and advance statements relating to someone’s later moments will be taken into account.