Can a Person with Dementia Be Cared for at Home?

One of the most common questions families ask after a dementia diagnosis is whether their loved one can remain at home. The answer is rarely a simple yes or no. 

Many people with dementia can be cared for at home, particularly in the early and moderate stages, but this depends on multiple factors including the severity of symptoms, available support, the home environment and the wellbeing of family carers.

How Dementia Stages Affect Home Care

The level of care someone needs at home changes dramatically as dementia progresses.

Early Stage Dementia

Most people with early-stage dementia continue living independently at home with minimal support. At this stage, they typically need:

• Consistent daily routines for security and structure
• Memory aids like calendars, reminder notes and medication dispensers
• Environmental adaptations (clear labelling, good lighting, reduced clutter)
• Regular family contact and help with complex tasks like finances
• Support maintaining social activities and hobbies

Typical care costs: Between £30 and £200 per week for hourly to weekly care and support but care costs can vary depending on time needed and care requirements

Moderate Stage Dementia

As dementia progresses, home care becomes significantly more demanding, suitable and useful. Support can include but isn’t limited to:

• Help with personal care (washing, dressing, toileting, eating)
• Constant vigilance for safety (wandering, leaving cooker on, unsafe decisions)
• Managing behavioural changes (aggression, suspicion, repetitive questions)
• Complex medication management and health monitoring
• 24-hour supervision or frequent monitoring

Typical care costs: £150 per week for consistent daily care

Advanced Stage Dementia

In advanced stages, someone needs comprehensive care including:

• Total assistance with all personal care
• Continuous supervision to prevent harm
• Management of incontinence
• Help with eating and drinking
• Nursing care for medical needs

Typical care costs: £1700 and £2000 per week for an ongoing live-in carer to resident with you in your home

Professional Home Care Options

Type of Care	What It Provides	Best For
Visiting care	Carers visit at set times (30 mins – 1 hour) for personal care, meals, medication assistance	Early to moderate dementia needing help at specific times
Live-in care	Professional carer lives in your home providing 24-hour support	Advanced dementia when family want an individual to stay at home
Sitting services	Someone stays for a few hours giving family carers respite	Any stage when carers need regular breaks
Specialist dementia care	Trained staff who understand dementia behaviours	Moderate to advanced dementia with challenging behaviours
Night care	Overnight support for toileting, wandering, or reassurance	Any stage with sleep disturbance or night-time needs

Lidder Home Care provides dementia care across Mansfield, from a few visits per week to intensive daily packages.

The Reality of Family Caring

Many families initially assume they’ll care for their loved one at home on their own throughout the dementia journey. The reality often proves more challenging than anticipated.

Physical demands:

• Helping someone move and preventing falls
• Managing incontinence and personal hygiene
• Coping with constant sleep disturbance
• Physical exhaustion, particularly for older carers

Emotional toll:

• Watching someone you love decline
• Dealing with personality changes and difficult behaviours
• Experiencing repeated grief as the person “disappears”
• Relationship changing from spouse/parent to dependent

Practical impact:

• Giving up work, hobbies and social life
• Social isolation and loneliness
• Financial pressure (even with £81.90 per week Carers Allowance)
• Stress on other family relationships

Health consequences:

• Mental exhaustion and depression
• Physical illness from stress and lack of self-care
• Breakdown requiring emergency intervention

Critical point: Sustainable home care requires support for carers, not just the person with dementia.

When Does Home Care Work Well?

Certain factors make caring for someone with dementia at home more successful:

• Multiple people sharing caring responsibilities
• Professional care supplements family support
• The home is suitable (single-level, safe garden, good space)
• Financial resources exist for paid care and adaptations
• The person’s symptoms are manageable without severe behavioural issues
• Good local services available (day centres, respite, support groups)
• The person expressed preference to stay at home
• Carers have realistic expectations and adapt plans as needed

Warning Signs: When Home Care Becomes Unsafe

There often comes a point when home care is no longer appropriate:

Safety Cannot Be Maintained

• Repeated falls causing aggravated injury
• Wandering into dangerous situations
• Fire risks from using cooker unsafely
• Leaving home inappropriately dressed or at night

Aggressive or Violent Behaviour

When someone becomes physically aggressive towards carers, particularly if they’re stronger than family members.

Carer Breakdown

Family carers becoming physically ill, mentally exhausted or unable to continue without serious harm to their own health.

Complex Medical Needs

Nursing care required for catheter care, wound management, or injectable medications that family cannot safely provide.

Unmanageable Night-Time Demands

The person awake and active all night, every night. Carers cannot function without proper sleep.

Professional Concerns

When social services assessments identify risks that cannot be managed safely at home.

Recognising these signs early allows planned transitions rather than reaching crisis point.

Cost Comparison: Home Care vs Care Home

Level of Support	Home Care Cost (per week)	Care Home Cost (per week)
Minimal support (daily-weekly support)	£30-£200	N/A (not appropriate yet)
Moderate support (multiple hours per day)	£200+	£1200+ (residential/dementia care)
Intensive support (multiple daily visits + nights)	£1,000-£2,000+	£1200+ (residential/dementia care)
24-hour support (live-in care)	£1,200-£1,800+	£1500+ (nursing care)

The level, length, duration and price of care and support you receive will depend on your individual needs and the amount of care required. Support plans are tailored to ensure you get the right help at the right time, whether that’s short-term assistance or ongoing care as your circumstances change.

Key insight: Once 24-hour support becomes necessary, home care often costs significantly more than care homes for equivalent or less comprehensive care.

Funding for home care may be available through Nottinghamshire County Council if capital is below £23,250.

Technology That Can Help

Various technologies support someone with dementia to remain at home safely longer:

• GPS trackers: Watches or pocket devices allowing families to locate someone who wanders
• Medication dispensers: Automated release at set times with alerts if doses missed
• Sensor systems: Motion sensors detecting falls or unusual patterns
• Smart home devices: Voice-activated lights, locks, reminders
• Video monitoring: Cameras for remote check-ins (with privacy considerations)
• Emergency pendants: Alarm systems calling for help when pressed
• Automatic cooker shut-offs: Devices preventing fires from unattended cooking

Important: Technology supplements human care but cannot replace it.

The Essential Role of Respite Care

If someone with dementia is to remain at home long-term, regular respite for family carers is essential:

Sitting services: Someone stays with the person for a few hours whilst carers go out

Day centres: Attendance several times weekly giving carers time for rest and personal tasks, carers can also assist individuals to day centres

Short residential breaks: One or two-week stays in a care home providing intensive respite

Family rotation: Different family members taking turns, giving each person regular breaks

Without respite, carer burnout becomes inevitable. Respite isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for sustainable care.

Home Care vs Care Home: The Comparison

Home Care Advantages

• Familiar environment and surroundings
• One-to-one attention from carers
• Maintaining community connections
• Flexibility in routine and activities
• Pet companionship if the person has animals
• No adjustment period to new surroundings

Home Care Challenges

• Family carers shoulder enormous responsibility
• Safety adaptations can sometimes be needed
• Family carers can get burnout if they go without home carers

Care Home Advantages

• Professional care 24 hours daily
• Social interaction and structured activities
• Nursing care immediately available
• Safety and security
• Relief for family carers
• Predictable fixed costs

Care Home Challenges

• Adjustment period to new environment
• Fixed routines and visiting times
• Sharing carers’ attention with other residents
• Leaving familiar home and possessions
• Emotional difficulty for families

Neither option is inherently better. The right choice depends on individual circumstances and what’s sustainable for the whole family.

Making the Decision: Key Questions to Ask

About the person with dementia:

• Can their safety be maintained at home?
• Are their medical needs manageable without nursing care?
• Do behavioural symptoms require specialist dementia care?
• What did they express (whilst able) about their preferences?

About family carers:

• Is caring damaging family carers’ physical or mental health?
• Can multiple family members share responsibilities?
• Are carers able to maintain their own lives and relationships?
• Is the financial cost sustainable?

About practical factors:

• Is the home environment suitable and safe?
• Are local support services available and accessible?
• Can professional care fill the gaps family cannot manage?
• Is the overall quality of life good for everyone involved?

Dementia Care in Mansfield: Your Options

For families in Mansfield and Nottinghamshire considering whether home care or residential care is appropriate, Lidder Care offers both:

Home Care Services

Lidder Home Care provides dementia care at home across Mansfield, from a few visits per week to intensive daily support packages. Our carers receive dementia training and understand the specific challenges families face.

Dementia Care

Specialist dementia care is available at:

• Newgate Lodge Care Home, Mansfield
• Lowmoor Nursing Home, Kirkby-in-Ashfield

Both homes offer purpose-designed dementia units with trained staff experienced in person-centred dementia care.

The Bottom Line

Yes, a person with dementia can be cared for at home – but the real question is whether it remains the best option for your particular situation right now. Needs change as dementia progresses, and plans should adapt accordingly.

This isn’t about whether home care is possible. It’s about whether it’s:

• Safe for the person with dementia
• Sustainable for family carers
• Providing good quality of life for everyone
• The right choice at this stage of the dementia journey

Moving to residential care when home care becomes unsustainable isn’t failure. It’s recognising when someone’s needs have grown beyond what home can safely provide.

If you’re trying to decide what’s right for your family, our team can discuss both home care and residential care options without pressure. Call 0330 223 6600 or visit liddercare.com to explore what might work best for your loved one’s current needs.