Our dementia carers are specifically trained to deal with the challenges that come when caring for a person with dementia. Our care workers have experience in the many ways the condition can develop differently in people and will tailor their care to suit the requirements of their clients. Our dementia home care plans are regularly reviewed to ensure that as the condition progresses, care needs are always fully supported.

What’s included in dementia home care?

• Support to continue daily life
• Preserving dignity and independence
• Keeping family updated as the condition progresses
• Managing challenging behaviour
• Ensuring medication is taken on time
• Regular review of care

How dementia care can help you or your loved one

Quite often, a diagnosis of dementia comes after a period of time during which a loved one hasn’t quite been themselves. This may have been going on for some time, when a partner or family member has provided support and tried to help them to cope. But caring for someone with dementia can be very emotionally draining, time-consuming and tiring – it’s a labour of love that can become overwhelming.

The confusion and challenging behaviour experienced by those with dementia are minimised when they are in familiar surroundings. Our dementia care workers can extend the time that your loved one can stay at home in comfortable, familiar surroundings. They are trained to deal with the anger and frustration that can come with certain types of dementia and have experience in supporting daily tasks, personal hygiene and incontinence issues as such symptoms develop.

Whether you use Life Plus for short-term respite care or for long-term dementia home care, we’ll take the same professional approach to assessing a client’s care needs to live as fulfilling a life as possible in the comfort of their own home. We present a selection of caregivers based on our clients’ interests, personality and lifestyle, you then choose the most suitable fit. You can keep the same care workers for up to three months at a time before they take a break after which they may then alternate with another care worker, just as suitable as the first.

Contact your local Life Plus office to discuss how we can create a bespoke service to meet your individual needs.

Taking a person-centred, strength-based approach one of our friendly registered health professionals will work with you to set some personal targets, and engage our experienced Homecare Support Workers will help you to achieve your goals.

Our team is uniquely skilled in highly complex, serious brain injury and spinal injury support services, and can support you to live as independently as possible. Your support team is trained with the skills specific to your injury needs.

Examples of activities or daily needs you may need support with include:

• Personal Care
• Household tasks such as cleaning, vacuuming, washing and doing dishes
• Preparing and managing meals
• Taking medication safely
• Exercises that will increase your mobility, strength, coordination, and confidence
• Assistance to achieve mobility goals
• Learning new skills to manage symptoms of any illness you may have, such as breathing exercises for people with respiratory problems
• Keeping socially connected, such as being part of a community group, club, or activity program.

We also offer a range of nursing services to meet your short term or ongoing medical needs.

Round-the-clock managed service

Our rehabilitation services can be from 1 hour to 24 hours a day care service – whatever’s right for you. We manage all aspects of the care including liaising with GP’s, household duties – so you don’t have to.

• Dedicated care team led by a care manager
• Full assessment before care starts
• Bespoke and flexible care plan Specialist support and expertise – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with full after-hours service/support

We want to support you to maintain your chosen lifestyle. We believe that each person is unique, with their own individual preferences and needs. So, we keep you in control and provide you with the homecare and support you want, where and when you want it. It’s your life and your care, so it must be your way.

The services we offer

• Choose our flexible homecare services, anything from 1 hour to 24 hour care. We can offer short term help (following an illness or because your usual carer is having a break), or longer term homecare and support. 

Our dedicated team of Caregivers are fully trained to:

• Assist with a ‘good morning’ start to the day, helping you to get up, wash, shower or bathe, dress and have breakfast
• Remind or assist you to take your medicines and collect or return medication from your pharmacy or dispensing GP surgery
• Prepare meals with or for you and assist you at mealtimes
• Shop with you or help you to make a shopping list, go to the shops, come back and put it all away
• Help with your laundry or ironing and keeping your home clean and tidy
• Support you with social activities such as going out for a walk, attending a day centre, visiting friends or family, going to your church or club etc
• Give a little pampering when you need it – the occasional visit to organise bathing, clean clothes, fresh bedding and a thoughtfully prepared meal before bedtime
• At the end of each day, some help with getting ready for bed
• Overnight ‘sleeper’ or waking support, respite care or a 24 hour live in service

Contact your local Life Plus office to discuss how we can create a bespoke service to meet your individual needs.

Life Plus disability support services provides individualised disability support for those with both Intellectual and Physical disabilities with the goals of:

• Reducing the client’s barriers to participation
• Increasing the client’s independence, meaningful engagement and participation in the local community
• Increasing the client’s achievement of personal, community and employment goals to engage in life roles.
• Supporting the client’s decision-making by increasing their choice and control
• Increasing the client’s ability to live an everyday life.

An ACC Contracted Provider for “Living My Life – Tailored Supports

We will provide you with the support you want and need using techniques that will help you to be as actively engaged as possible with everything in your life.

We can provide you with as much or as little support as you need – whether it is for a few hours per week, a regular time each day, 24 hour support or anything in between.

 What we can support people to do:

• Live independently – either on your own, with friends or family, or in shared accommodation.
• Enjoy the interests and hobbies you have and develop new ones.
• Explore the use of assistive technology and adapting your home to help you live more independently.
• Get a job or volunteer.
• Manage your household bills and money.
• Learn more skills.
• Go on holiday.
• Keep in touch with the people who are important to you.

 Our support will provide the following:

• You will have choice and control at all times about what you do and how you are supported.
• If you can’t speak, we will work with you to find out how you like to communicate.
• Where possible we will work with you to choose your support staff so they match your personality and interests.
• We will support you to keep safe and healthy.
• Your support plans will be regularly reviewed with you, so they can adapted as your needs and wishes change.
• Get support
• To find out more about being supported by Life Plus.

LML Contract Overview

Life Plus holds the contract for ‘Living My Life’ (LML) and works with clients under the Facilitated Pathway Map, Independent Facilitation and Tailored Support. The nature and purpose of the above services are to help facilitate independence,  support clients to maximise participation and improve the quality in everyday life for those with significant impairment or disability.   The service helps clients achieve personal and community goals enabling them to exercise their choices and goals towards full social inclusion, including:

• What they would like to do
• Where they would like go
• Who they would like to do things with.  

Below is an overview of each of component and how we can work with clients who are interested in participating in engaging more in community and enhancing their owns lives.

Facilitated Pathway Map 

The Facilitated Pathway Map is a short-term support intervention for clients who would benefit from support in creating a visual map.  This is done by exploring what is important to them, their aspirations and life journey.  Working in a client centred approach, we engage with the client and family/whanau to use tools and techniques appropriate to help the client identify things in their life they would like to do.  We assist them to understand the options available within their local community.  Once we have a map of the clients wishes, we will aim to create a visual map of the steps involved on how they will achieve their goals.

Independent Facilitation

The Independent Facilitation provides short term support for clients who would benefit from a supported decision-making approach.  We aim to create a vision which will empower the client to identify what support they need, how to access information and how to choose their providers.  We will work with our clients in assisting them in accessing information about local support options and activities within the community they live.  

Tailored Support

The Tailored support services is designed to engage effectively with individual clients to enable them to maximise participation in everyday life.  Working with the client we aim to support them in engaging in activities, enabling choice and control and support decision making.  We will explore with the client all aspects of their lives and consider options such as respite, trips, social activities as well as more practical needs from an Occupational therapist perspective such as equipment needs that may help enhance their lives.

Independence and Dignity at home

We believe that everyone has the right to enjoy a high quality of life at home. Our carefully matched care service meets daily medical, social, domestic and personal needs and helps improve health, well-being and lifestyle.

Living well at home

Quite often, family carers become tired and need a break to refresh and recharge batteries. Our short-term respite service, allows you to take a break knowing that we are delivering expert care – invaluable peace of mind and reassurance.

Respite care provides companionship and friendship, at a time when people need it most. Whether it’s cooking meals and eating together, heading out to a club or activity or offering a much-needed sympathetic ear, our carers are there to get the most out of people’s existing lifestyles and, where possible, enhance them. They can help with: 

• Personal care (hygiene)
• Cooking and meal planning
• Housekeeping – cleaning and laundry
• Household management/administration
• Mobility support
• Social activities and lifestyle support
• Shopping and trips outdoors

Flexible respite care at home

Flexibility just when you need it – If you decide you need a series of short-term respites, we offer a discount for repeat bookings.

A carefully matched care team

Our professional care teams are chosen carefully to suit individual and medical needs. Similar personalities and interests help the carer and the client form closer relationships, provide more enjoyment and significantly contribute to a better lifestyle. Of course, we also make sure the team is introduced giving you the opportunity to interview before the care service starts.

If, in the rare event, the match doesn’t work out, we’ll happily work with you to find a care team that does.

Round-the-clock managed service

Our respite care service can be 24 hour or a day care service – whatever’s right for you. We manage all aspects of the care including liaising with GP’s, household duties – so you don’t have to.

• Dedicated care team led by a care manager
• Full assessment before care starts
• Bespoke and flexible care plan
• Specialist support and expertise – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with full afterhours service/support

WE’RE HERE TO HELP We understand that sometimes you may need respite care for a family member at short notice. Please call us on 0508 LIFENZ (543369) and we will do what we can to give you great quality care as soon as possible.

Tailored, one-to-one palliative care at home

We understand that having a support network in place is essential for people who have been diagnosed with terminal conditions. Hospitals and care homes are not the only option; tailored one-to-one care enables palliative care at home to be delivered right through to the final stages of life. We understand that this is a highly emotional time for clients and their families and our carers assist with the practical aspects of daily life, as well as provide emotional support which is so important at this time.

Our professional carers receive training in how to care and support clients approaching the end of life, supporting both medical and social care needs. We also work with nurses to ensure that our holistic service is tailored to support any complex medical procedures which may arise. Our extensive care planning process is designed to promote comfort and dignity, attending to a person’s needs and wishes.

Round-the-clock managed service

Supported by our Home and Complex Care Manager and Nurses Managers our professional care teams support clients with nursing care at home. All our professional caregivers are qualified to manage medications and support with a number of complex medical interventions.

We understand that complex medical care can require equipment and other adaptations to the home. Our dedicated Home and Complex Care Consultants will not only liaise with doctors and Community nurses but also the extended multi-disciplinary team. Our whole team will support our professional carers to ensure holistic and multidisciplinary care is in place.

Specialist nursing and medical care

Our palliative care service can be provided as 24-hour, day care or a short-term respite service – whatever is right for you and includes:

• Dedicated care team 
• Full assessment before care starts
• Bespoke and flexible care plan
• Specialist support and expertise – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with full afterhours service/support
• Liaising with GP’s and other professionals involved in care provision
• Meal planning and household/domestic tasks
• Social activities and lifestyle enhancement