Stanhope offers a range of specialist services that have been specifically developed to address special care needs in the following areas:

• Dementia Care
• Palliative Care
• Diabetes Care
• Stoma care

Dementia Care

Alzheimer's and other dementias are one of the most demanding chronic diseases affecting our elderly population, and there is expected to be a substantial growth in dementia in the coming decades as the Australian population ages.

Stanhope provides specialist ongoing care to many clients with dementia and support to their families across Australia.

The type of homecare support for people with dementia typically differs in the early, middle and late stages of the illness.

We have outlined some of the main goals of our plan of care for these clients at each stage below:

Early Stage of Dementia: Quality of Life

A primary care goal in the early stage of dementia is to improve our clients’ quality of life and to keep them as mentally active as possible. We work to achieve this by:

• Reducing their isolation
• Offering opportunities for socialisation
• Supervising and providing support for outings, hobbies, movies and so on
• Giving feedback, praise, answers and validation of decisions

Middle Stage of Dementia: Supervision

A primary care goal in the middle stage of dementia is ensuring supervision, to promote a feeling of safety and security as well as to assist our client with daily activities.  We work to achieve this by:

• Encouraging, reminding and providing support for daily activities
• Helping a client when their vision and/or mobility is affected
• Engaging a client in cooking, baking, cleaning and doing laundry
• Re-directing behaviours into purposeful activities
• Giving comfort measures like gentle massaging, foot care and grooming
• Providing a routine that gives more structure for daily living
• Ensuring a sense of safety and security

Late Stage of Dementia: Personal Care

A primary care goal in the last stage of dementia is to ensure our client is as comfortable and settled as possible. We work to achieve this by:

• Offering reassurance during periods of restlessness and anxiety
• Providing skin care, mouth care, bathing, nutrition and hydration
• Offering reassurance during periods of restlessness, and anxiety
• Providing end-of-life care

Palliative Care

Palliative care is specialised care and support provided for someone living with a life-limiting condition.

Whilst ensuring the rights of our clients and their families is upheld to make day to day decisions Stanhope can provide the following support during this difficult and sad time:

• Home Nursing
• Pain management
• Emotional support
• Respite for the care giver
• Liaison between the home, hospital and doctors
• Advice on equipment for nursing care at home
• Bereavement support

Stanhope can provide Palliative Care in the home seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Diabetes Care

Stanhope has specialist nursing staff that are credentialed diabetes educators and infection control experts.

Our diabetes care services include:

• Coordination of a multidisciplinary approach to diabetes care so optimal health outcomes can be achieved
• Education of the disease process, medications and monitoring
• Promotion of a healthy lifestyle and changes necessary to reduce the occurrence of complications
• Liaison with other healthcare professionals
• Community education programs

Stoma Care

Ostomy patients may need knowledge and supportive nursing care to help them to adjust to life with a stoma.  With our one-on-one care and attention we can provide them with the support that they need.

Stanhope stomal therapy nurses can provide pre-operative education, counselling and post operative stoma care and education for individual patients including full wound care assessment, care plan formulation and advice.

Stanhope SA has partnered with the Colostomy Association of SA to provide a Stomal therapy nursing clinic for their members every second Tuesday of the month between 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Appointments can be made by calling the Colostomy Association on 08 8354 2618 Mon-Fri between 10:30am and 2:30pm.