DementiaRoadmap

Helping primary care to support people with dementia
Living well → Staying healthy

Staying healthy

Leading a healthy lifestyle can help to protect against cognitive decline. When someone has dementia, it’s important that they remain as fit and healthy as possible – both physically and mentally. The better a person  feels, the better life will be for them and those around them.

Physical exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain as well as to encourage new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, and thereby protect against those risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells.

Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.

In order to stay healthy it is important to eat balanced meals, drink plenty of fluids, sleep well and take regular physical exercise. Visiting primary care regularly means that other health problems  or those that could make dementia appear worse can be recognised and treated at an ealry stage so avoiding complications and risk of admission to hospital.

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  • Living with Dementia – 51 Tips to Help You With Daily LivingIn this in-depth infographic and article UK Care Guide offers a range of tips of advice to help people to live well with dementia.
  • Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementiaThe World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia provide evidence-based recommendations on lifestyle behaviours and interventions to delay or prevent cognitive decline and dementia.
  • Helping your loved one with dementia eat wellThis infographic published by Bupa UK offers some pointers for carers and relatives on how to help people with dementia to eat well so that they remain healthy and can continue to remain independent in their own home.
  • The dementia profileThe dementia profile developed by the Dementia Intelligence Network collects new and existing data on dementia at both Clinical Commissioning Group and local authority level. This will assist the local planning of services and support areas to make sustainable improvements from an easily accessible online platform.
  • Active Minds – dementia activity resourcesActive Minds produce a suite of activity products to assist people with dementia in leading active, engaging and fulfilling lives - enjoying activities that are meaningful to them.
  • The Daily SparkleThe Daily Sparkle is a professionally written daily and weekly reminiscence and activity tool supported by the UK's leading care organisations such as the NHS, AgeUK and DementiaUK.
  • A practical guide to healthy ageingThis guide published by NHS England and Age UK contains advice to help improve the health and general fitness of people of any age, but it is particularly relevant for people who are about 70 years or older.
  • Good to go: A guide to dementia-friendly days outThis handbook published by Care UK aims to support carers relatives and friends who want to enjoy a variety of outings and trips with someone living with dementia.
  • The Sound Doctor: Getting the best out of life with dementiaA series of films providing information to families living with dementia through the entertaining medium of TV/Film.
  • Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia 2020The Prime Minister recently launched the government’s five year vision for the future of dementia care, support and research, which follows on from the existing Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, launched in March 2012.
  • Reading well books on prescription for dementiaThe Reading well books on prescription for dementia scheme is available in public libraries as part of a national library strategy to support the development of dementia-friendly communities and build understanding and awareness of the condition.
  • No Secrets: guidance on protecting vulnerable adults in careThis guidance document published by the Department of Health sets out a code of practice for the protection of vulnerable adults in care.
  • Mental Health Act 1983: Code of PracticeThe revised code of practice shows professionals how to carry out their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983, to ensure that all patients receive high quality and safe care.
  • Wearing glasses with dementia factsheetThis factsheet is about the issues people with dementia who need to wear glasses may face. It will be useful for people with dementia, their families, carers and professionals.
  • Eye examinations for people with dementia factsheetThis factsheet provides information on eye examinations for people with dementia. It will be useful for people with dementia, their families, carers and professionals.
  • Supporting a person with dementiaThis Easy Read factsheet published by the the Alzheimer's Society provides advice for someone with learning disabilities who may have a friend or relative with dementia.
  • Blackfriars Consensus on promoting brain healthThe Blackfriars Consensus, published by the UK Health Forum and Public Health England, explores the potential for incorporation of dementia risk reduction into current approaches for non-communicable diseases.
  • Cataracts and dementia factsheetThe information in this factsheet will help people in with both dementia and sight loss and how to help someone with dementia cope with surgery.
  • CMG48: Support for commissioning of dementia careThis guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) summarises the key commissioning issues and the resource impact that will arise from implementing improvements in the quality of care for people with dementia, in line with the statements and measures that comprise the NICE quality standards for dementia.
  • QS30: Supporting people to live well with dementiaThis quality standard, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), covers the care and support of people with dementia.
  • Spirituality and ageing: implications for the care and support of older peopleThis briefing paper published the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services explores why our ageing population requires person-centred care and developmental support in order to maximise its chances of ageing well.
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