A Whole Family Plan

An older man had lived with dementia for three years before his wife who was his primary carer reported concerns that he had become disoriented and was starting to forget things. As the man’s dementia advanced, their relationship became strained, aggression from the man and frustration returned by his wife.

Adult Social Care felt there was a safeguarding concern. An FGC was suggested by the practitioner on behalf of their children, who were concerned about their parent’s behavior towards each other. The plan addressed both their parent’s needs, focusing on improving their relationship and the atmosphere within the family home.

At the FGC, the wider family agreed that the man’s wish to go out walking every day should be supported and agreed on provision of a tracking device for the man to wear when out alone, thus ensuring his safety and to put his wife’s mind at ease when she did not accompany him. This was agreed in conjunction with the wife who would still be taking her husband out regularly. Their family agreed that going out every day would enrich the man’s health and wellbeing, whilst also affording the couple quality time together.

The FGC engaged all four of their sons in their parent’s situation, all of them offering to visit more frequently and offer their mother support in her role as primary carer. An outcome of the FGC was that the sons could create a supportive and reliable network around their parents. The FGC empowered the family to enrich the wellbeing of both the parents and engaged a wider network to support the man’s ongoing care.