Social Care for People with Dementia and Their Carers
When dementia enters your life, it isn’t just a medical condition – it changes your whole way of living.
Social care exists to help with everyday life, safety, and emotional wellbeing, not just treatment.
This page explains the main types of social care support available in the UK for people with dementia and for the people who care for them. You do not have to manage all of this on your own.
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1. The First Step: A Needs Assessment
Everything begins with a Needs Assessment from your local council’s adult social care team.
A Needs Assessment is:
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Free
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Available to anyone with dementia, whatever your savings or income
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Usually done at home or over the phone
The assessor looks at how the person with dementia manages:
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Washing, dressing, toileting
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Eating and drinking
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Taking medication
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Moving around safely
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Memory, confusion and orientation
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Behaviour and mood
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Night-time needs
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Social interaction and activities
At the end, the council should explain:
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What support is needed
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What they can provide
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What might be funded, and what might be self-funded
You can request a Needs Assessment by contacting your local council’s adult social care department.
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2. Help at Home (Domiciliary Care)
Many people want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. Home-care services can help with:
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Washing, dressing and personal care
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Toileting and continence
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Preparing meals and drinks
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Prompting or giving medication
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Helping the person up in the morning and to bed at night
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Supervision if there’s a risk of falls, wandering or confusion
Visits can be:
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Short “pop-ins” (15–30 minutes)
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Longer visits
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Several times a day
The council uses a means test to decide how much they will pay and how much you may need to contribute.
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3. Day Centres and Dementia Day Services
Day centres offer safe, structured support for people with dementia and a valuable break for carers.
They often include:
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Music, reminiscence and gentle activities
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Crafts and games
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Meals and refreshments
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Time to socialise and be with others
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Support from dementia-trained staff
Some centres specialise in dementia.
The council can help you find suitable day services and may be able to fund some or all of the cost.
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4. Respite Care – Breaks for Carers
Caring is demanding. Carers have the right to have their need for breaks recognised.
Respite care might include:
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A carer coming in for a few hours so you can go out
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Regular day-centre sessions
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Overnight or weekend stays in a care home
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Emergency respite if the carer becomes ill or has a crisis
This support is usually arranged following a Carer’s Assessment (see below).
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5. Equipment and Home Adaptations
Simple equipment can make life easier and safer for both the person with dementia and their carer. After a Needs Assessment, the council can provide basic items such as:
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Grab rails
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Raised toilet seats
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Shower chairs
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Bed rails and chair raisers
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Sensors and alarms (for falls or wandering)
Larger adaptations may be funded through a Disabled Facilities Grant, for example:
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Stairlifts
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Level-access (wet room) showers
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Ramps
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Major changes to bathrooms or entrances
These grants are means-tested but often generous.
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6. Technology and Telecare
Modern technology can quietly support safety and independence. Councils may offer or recommend:
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Personal alarms / pendant alarms
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Fall detectors
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Door and bed sensors
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GPS trackers for people who may wander
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Automatic medication dispensers
These systems can send alerts to a monitoring centre or family member, offering reassurance to carers.
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7. Meals and Nutrition
Good nutrition becomes harder to manage as dementia progresses. Local services may provide:
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Meals on Wheels – hot or chilled meals delivered to the home
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Welfare checks as part of meal delivery
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Advice on safe eating and drinking
Some areas also offer help with shopping, lunch clubs, or community meals.
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8. Residential and Nursing Care
Sometimes it’s no longer safe or sustainable to remain at home. If this happens, the council should:
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Reassess the person’s needs
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Help you explore care home options
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Explain the financial assessment (means test)
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Consider whether NHS Continuing Healthcare or NHS-funded Nursing Care might apply
Types of care home include:
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Residential care (mainly personal care and supervision)
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Nursing care (with nurses on site)
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Specialist dementia units
Even if you are paying for care yourself (self-funding), the council still has duties to give advice and to safeguard the person’s wellbeing.
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9. Support Specifically for Carers
Carers are entitled to their own Carer’s Assessment, separate from the Needs Assessment.
A Carer’s Assessment looks at:
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How caring affects your health and wellbeing
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Your need for breaks and respite
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Whether you can work, volunteer or study
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Your emotional needs and social life
Support may include:
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Respite care (at home, day centres, or in a care home)
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Emotional support or counselling
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Carer training (e.g. dementia awareness, moving and handling)
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Support groups and carers’ cafés
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Help with paperwork and benefits
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Small grants or funded breaks
You can request a Carer’s Assessment from the local council, even if the person with dementia does not receive help from social services.
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10. Safeguarding and Protection
If there are serious concerns about safety – such as self-neglect, wandering, significant risk of harm, or possible abuse – the council has a legal duty to investigate and support.
Safeguarding is about:
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Protecting the person
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Supporting the carer
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Making sure everyone is safe
It is not just about blame; it is about getting the right help in place.
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11. Dementia Cafes
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Just butting in here to ChatGPT. Jackie and I found our local Dementia Cafe fantastic. I believe it was supported by MIND. We attended together along with other Dementia patients and their carers. Gentle exercises, tea and cake, a quiz and entertainment.
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12. Facilitated Carers' Meetings
Alongside formal social care, many areas offer community-based dementia support:
These can be run by the council, the NHS, or charities such as Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK, and local carers’ organisations.
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I was fortunate to be invited to a 12 week Carers' Group meeting facilitated by the Bromley Dementia Hub. This was a group of 12 people all caring for someone with dementia. Not only did this prove to be an invaluable source of information and ideas but has led to a frienship group that meets up regularly. Unfortunately I can't find anywhere on their website any reference to a regular service of this nature being offered.
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A search of the web gave these suggestions:
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* Dementia Carers Count: A UK charity offering dementia carer support groups, including peer support and emotional groups online.
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* Alzheimer’s Society Peer Support: The Alzheimer’s Society runs local peer support groups where carers and people affected by dementia can share experiences and coping ideas in a safe, supportive setting.
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* TIDE (Together in Dementia Everyday): TIDE is a UK organisation that believes carers’ and former carers’ own experience is valuable for improving support and care.​
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* Local Carer Support Groups: Other possibilities include Action for Carers, local council adult social services or searching directories such as Carers UK’s “Support Where You Live.”
If You Feel Lost in the System
It is very common to feel overwhelmed by all of this.
If you are unsure where to start:
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Ask your GP, memory clinic, or local council for a Needs Assessment and a Carer’s Assessment.
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Contact Age UK, Citizens Advice, or Alzheimer’s Society for help.
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If you’d like, you can also contact me through this site.
I can help research your situation using technology and point you toward the most relevant support and information.