In the vast majority of cases, health and social care is about ensuring people live as comfortable and independent a life as possible, with carers on hand to assist with needs that are not as easy to take care of.
This is particularly important for progressive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, where early intervention and effective social care can help to slow the rate at which it develops and ensure people with it live as well as possible for as long as possible.
However, there are also, unfortunately, cases where the goal of care is to relieve symptoms and pain rather than necessarily to treat disease. This is known as palliative care, and its ultimate goal is to improve quality of life in cases where it is more appropriate to provide supportive care.
Whilst often associated with hospice care, palliative care is flexible and can often occur alongside other forms of treatment, although it is most commonly offered following the diagnosis of a chronic or serious illness.
By contrast to palliative care, hospice or end-of-life care is offered to provide a high level of comfort in the final weeks and months, with treatments designed to avoid discomfort as much as possible and
In the case of dementia care, supportive treatment is about providing social and emotional support during the more advanced stages of dementia, not only for the person at the centre of care but also for their family and loved ones.
Many elements will be arranged in advance through advance statements and advance decisions that ensure that a person’s wishes surrounding their care are met whilst they have the capacity to voice them.
These include managing physical needs such as pain relief, managing distress and confusion, ensuring they can see everyone they want to, live in comfortable surroundings and a community that will help provide comfort, and ensure that any cultural beliefs and practices are respected. | 
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