Increase the number of care-free years with suitable housing for people with dementia
Living independently for longer is not self-evident for people with dementia. Housing is not always suitable and people are often ‘too good’ for admission to a nursing home, but they do need extra support to live safely. There is no suitable housing offer and building plans do not (yet) take into account the housing needs of people with dementia. That’s why Julie Meerveld from Alzheimer Nederland is participating in the Round table discussion Living and care for the elderly of the House of Representatives.
Living with dementia requires an integrated approach that connects housing, well-being, society and care. Alzheimer Nederland sees the solution clustered homes† This type of housing is lacking in building plans for seniors and the solution to the capacity problem in care is being sought in nursing homes. This type of housing reduces the influx to the nursing home and offers an answer to the decreasing number of care professionals and informal carers.
Housing needs of people with dementia and their carers
People with dementia, their loved ones and caregivers describe a suitable home for people with dementia as follows:
- It is an independent, single-storey, well-arranged house;
- It is suitable for single people with dementia and for people with a partner;
- It is close to a communal meeting place that invites you to stay socially and physically active and make the day worthwhile, with guidance;
- Self-direction is central;
- It is located in its own dementia friendly neighbourhood. Here people recognize dementia and know how to deal with neighbors with dementia;
- More or less dementia care is provided – if necessary – quickly and easily, with the support of home automation and resources.
View these housing needs on the ‘Living wiser with dementia’.
Increase care-free years
People can and want to move to suitable housing in good time. In the long run, support and care can be provided nearby. Because the house matches their (changing) needs, people can live independently for longer. This prevents crisis admissions and ensures that admission to a nursing home can be postponed or prevented: the number of years without care is increased.
People with and without a care requirement live together in this type of housing. The resident rents from a housing association and care is available on demand. The care is paid for by the Full Home Package from the Wlz.
Finally, the clustered form of housing ensures that the following support is close by:
- Enough appropriate activities that give people with dementia structure and meaning and relieve the caregiver.
- Support for the caregiver through the deployment of the dementia and respite care case manager. The vision on informal care that MantelzorgNL has contributed together with Alzheimer Nederland and other stakeholders supports this.
- Smart technology that support the quality of life and self-reliance of people with dementia and their informal carers and reduce the workload for professionals, relatives and informal carers.
- One dementia-friendly society in which people can recognize dementia, make dementia a topic for discussion and know how people with dementia can continue to live longer.
It is much needed
1 in 5 people develop dementia. Old age is the greatest risk factor. Almost 40% of all frail elderly people have dementia. Most people with dementia (70%) live at home. Three quarters of informal carers and care professionals believe that there is no suitable housing offer for people with dementia (Research housing needs, Alzheimer Netherlands† Half of the informal carers want to move, but see no alternative. Of the care professionals, 87% recognize the situation that people with dementia are often still ‘too good’ for admission to a nursing home, but need extra support to live safely. In addition, people with dementia greatly dread the nursing home. Two thirds of the informal caregivers and no less than 96% of the healthcare professionals confirm this. This can lead to a crisis at home.
The round table discussion will take place on 17 March from 15:00-17:30. It can be followed live here. You can watch the roundtable discussion here from 18 March.