Colin’s story

Colin is 73 and has lived in a care home for 12 years. He has Korsakoff’s syndrome as a result of heavy drinking. He is physically quite well, but tends to overeat and so is overweight. Mentally he can maintain a conversation fluently, although he can be hard to understand at times. He has a fairly good short-term memory, but a poor long-term one.

Social Services found him a place in a home as he was unable to care for himself properly in the sheltered housing he was living in previously.

Colin has been dry since and is much more able than the other residents who all have advanced dementia, or other mental health issue. He gets bored easily as he has very little social interaction and he gets annoyed with the other residents who just walk past him or sit in the lounge all day.

The staff have limited time to talk to him and the activities organiser cannot spend one- to-one time with him. He enjoys chatting with the gardener, but this is dependent on the weather and having a member of staff available to accompany him to the garden. He therefore spends a lot of time sitting around watching TV and has to be given medication to calm him down.

Our planned supported living facility would provide the stimulation and interaction with other people which Colin so desperately needs. The chance to take part in more organised activities and chores around the home, as well as socialise with people his own age, would greatly improve his quality of life.

*Story dated summer 2014

This story is based on a real example of a person one of our Trustees, Beth Noray, has supported in her role delivering care to people with younger onset dementia, working closely with Social Services. We have changed the individual’s name and some of their personal details so that they cannot be identified.