Dementia Care at Home: Familiar Surroundings, Familiar Faces
Hearing that someone you love has dementia can feel like the ground shifting. Questions arrive all at once: what happens next, how much help will they need, and can they stay at home? For many families, staying in familiar surroundings is the heartfelt wish, and with the right support it can be possible for as long as it remains safe and right for them.
This guide shares what the latest figures show, what dementia care at home can involve and where families can find support. It is general information, not medical advice, so please speak to a GP or memory service about individual needs.
Dementia in England: what the latest figures show
NHS England’s Primary Care Dementia Data shows that 516,230 people had a recorded diagnosis of dementia in England on 30 June 2026. Around 66.2% of people aged 65 and over who are estimated to have dementia had a recorded diagnosis, which means roughly a third do not yet have one. Of those who were diagnosed, 67.5% had received a care plan or a care plan review in the previous 12 months.
Across the UK, the Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 982,000 people are living with dementia, rising to 1.4 million by 2040. The cost of dementia in 2024 was put at £42.5 billion, with around half of that made up of unpaid care from families and friends, and a third of unpaid dementia carers report spending more than 100 hours a week caring. The same work projects that the number of people receiving care at home will rise by 43% by 2040.
Dr Jeremy Isaacs, NHS England’s national clinical director for dementia, has said that getting a diagnosis is “the first step in supporting people”. A diagnosis opens doors to care plans, advice and support, for the person and for those who love them.
Why familiar surroundings can help someone living with dementia
A home holds a lifetime of cues: the chair that is always theirs, the clock in the hall, the view from the kitchen window. For someone living with dementia, familiar places and routines can feel reassuring when so much else is changing. A move to somewhere new can be unsettling for some people, which is one reason many families look at dementia home care first.
Familiar faces matter just as much. A carer who visits regularly can learn how someone likes their morning to unfold, which music settles them, which stories bring a smile and which subjects are best left alone. That knowledge turns care into something that feels like company rather than a service.
What dementia home care can involve
Support is always shaped around the person, but it might include:
Companionship and conversation, including looking at photographs and sharing memories
Gentle prompts for meals, drinks and medication, so that routines stay steady
Personal care, given with patience and dignity
Light housework, and keeping the home comfortable, from opening the curtains in the morning to plumping the cushions
Getting out and about, with a steady arm, whether to the garden, the shops or an appointment
Respite for family carers, so that relatives can rest, knowing someone kind is there
Where someone has more complex needs, home carers work best alongside the wider team: the GP, memory service, district nurses and family.
Staying safe and steady at home
Safety matters for everyone as they grow older. OHID guidance reports that around a third of people aged 65 and over fall at least once a year, rising to around half of those aged 80 and over, and it lists poor balance, some medicines and hazards in the home among the contributing factors.
A carer who knows the home well can spot trip hazards, make sure a walking frame or stick is within reach, and let the family know if someone seems less steady than before.
Dementia support and respite care for family carers
Caring for someone with dementia can be a labour of love, and it can also be exhausting. If you are a family carer, please know that asking for help is not giving up. It is looking after yourself so that you can keep looking after them.
Some practical first steps:
Talk to the GP about diagnosis, care plans and the support available locally
Ask your local council for a needs assessment for your loved one, and a carer’s assessment for yourself
Contact the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK or Age UK, who offer advice and dementia support for families
Consider dementia respite care at home, so that you can rest or simply have a morning to yourself
Taking the first step with Sister Led Care
We are two sisters who started Sister Led Care because we wanted care to feel like family. If you are worried about someone you love, just call us. We will come and have a cup of tea and talk it through, with no pressure and no rush. We cover Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint and the wider Mid Sussex area.
01444 500329
This article is general information and is not medical advice. If you are concerned about someone’s memory or health, please speak to their GP.
Sources
NHS England. Primary Care Dementia Data, June 2026. Published 30 July 2026. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/primary-care-dementia-data/june-2026
Alzheimer’s Society figures on the cost of dementia, summarised by NIHR. UK dementia care costs reach £42 billion. https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/uk-dementia-care-costs-reach-42billion-alzheimers-society/
Alzheimer’s Society. The economic impact of dementia, Module 1: annual costs of dementia, 13 May 2024, as summarised by the Patient Safety Learning hub. https://pslhub.org/learn/patient-safety-in-health-and-care/conditions/dementia/the-economic-impact-of-dementia-%E2%80%93-module-1-annual-costs-of-dementia-13-may-2024-r11469
NHS England quote on record diagnosis figures, as reported by the Alzheimer’s Society, 2024. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/cy/node/51446
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Falls: applying All Our Health. GOV.UK, last updated 25 February 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/falls-applying-all-our-health/falls-applying-all-our-health
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