Dementia is the biggest challenge facing social care today. We have a responsibility to create sustainable communities that can accommodate this growing and vulnerable section of the population, says Jitesh Patel, senior development manager, Kajima Partnerships
We are in the midst of a dementia care crisis; there are currently more than 534,000 people living with the condition in the UK, with limited social care available to support them. With this figure predicted to rise by up to 35 per cent by 2025 and by 146 per cent by 2050, the situation is only likely to get worse.
Developers of assisted living facilities can have an important role in helping to accommodate this vulnerable group by building environments that are flexible and future proof, enabling people with dementia to live either independently or at least in one place for longer, without the need to move from one care home to another as their care needs increase.
Once an environment is no longer suitable for someone living with dementia, the best solution is to adapt their immediate surroundings in order to avoid moving them and causing further disruption. Moving a person with advanced dementia can heighten symptoms, so the best solution is for them to live in an adaptable environment, which enables them to remain in the same place, surrounded by care staff who are familiar to them.
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