Knowledge hub
Dementia care explained
Plain-English answers for families in Scotland: what dementia actually is, the types and stages, living well at home, and the point at which a dementia care home starts to make sense. Free to read, no jargon, written for Scotland rather than England.
5 dementia guides/Reviewed July 2026
Start here
Three guides that answer the first questions
What is dementia?
Read this first if the word is new to your family
8 min read
The types of dementia, and why the difference matters
Read this if you have been given a specific diagnosis
9 min read
The stages of dementia, and what to expect at each
Read this if you are trying to work out what comes next
8 min read
The journey
From diagnosis to settling in
- 01
Understanding the diagnosis
Dementia is not one condition, and it is not a normal part of getting older. Start by understanding what has actually been diagnosed, how it is likely to progress and who in Scotland can help you now: the GP, the memory clinic and your local Alzheimer Scotland link worker.
- 02
Living well at home
Most people live at home for a long time after a diagnosis. Familiar routines, good sleep, company and meaningful activity all help. This is also the right moment to get power of attorney in place, while the person can still take part in that decision.
- 03
When things change
Needs rarely change gradually in a straight line. Night-time wandering, falls, weight loss, repeated hospital visits or carer exhaustion are the signs families most often tell us about. Understanding the stages helps you plan rather than react, and a respite stay can buy everyone breathing space.
- 04
Choosing a dementia care home
Look past the decor. What matters is how the team speaks to residents, whether the environment is calm and easy to navigate, what happens at teatime, and what the Care Inspectorate report says. Costs and funding are part of the same decision, so work them out early.
- 05
Settling in and staying involved
The first few weeks are an adjustment for everyone. Familiar belongings, a shared life story and a steady visiting rhythm help enormously, and families stay every bit as involved after a move as before it.
Quick answers
The questions families ask us most
Dementia is the umbrella term for a set of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, language and everyday functioning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of those symptoms, but it is not the only one. See types of dementia.
Clinicians often describe dementia as early, middle and late stage, and some tools break it down further into seven stages. Real life rarely follows the chart exactly, and people move between good days and difficult days. Our stages of dementia guide explains what families tend to notice at each point.
For most people dementia is not directly inherited. A small number of rarer forms do run in families. If you are worried about your own risk, speak to your GP, who can refer you for advice rather than leaving you to guess.
There is no fixed answer. Many people live at home for years with support from family, home care and community services. The move usually becomes right when safety, night-time needs or carer exhaustion mean home no longer works, rather than at any particular stage. See when to move to a dementia care home.
Common triggers are falls, leaving the house at night, difficulty eating or taking medication, repeated hospital admissions, and a family carer reaching the end of what they can safely manage. A free care needs assessment from your council social work team is the clearest way to settle the question.
A dementia care home is registered and staffed to support people living with dementia: dementia-trained colleagues, calmer and easier-to-navigate surroundings, secure outdoor space and activity built around each person's life story. Some homes also provide 24-hour nursing alongside it. See dementia care.
Dementia care usually sits above standard residential care because staffing levels are higher, and nursing dementia care higher again. Free personal care, and free nursing care where nursing is needed, are deducted once the person has been assessed by their council. Our care home costs guide sets out current figures.
It is one of the most useful things a family can put in place, and it has to be done while the person still has capacity to grant it. Without it, decisions about money and welfare become much harder. See power of attorney in Scotland, and take advice from a solicitor.
Often yes. A respite or short stay tells a family far more than a tour does, and it gives the person a chance to get used to the place. See respite and short-stay care.
Alzheimer Scotland runs a 24 hour freephone dementia helpline and local services, NHS inform sets out the clinical picture, and Care Information Scotland explains assessments and funding. Your GP and memory clinic remain your first call for anything health related.
The library
Every dementia guide
What is dementia?
Dementia explained without jargon - what causes it, how it differs from normal ageing, how a diagnosis works in Scotland, and where to get support after one.
8 min read
The types of dementia, and why the difference matters
The main types of dementia set side by side: what causes each, the symptoms families notice first, how they progress, and what each one means for care.
9 min read
The stages of dementia, and what to expect at each
What early, middle and later stage dementia actually look like day to day, what support helps at each point, and what to arrange ahead of time.
8 min read
When is it time for a dementia care home?
How to judge when dementia care at home is no longer working, the safety and carer-health signals that matter, and the practical first steps in Scotland.
8 min read
Choosing a dementia care home in Scotland
How to judge a dementia care home properly: registration and grades, staffing and training, the building itself, and 20 questions worth asking on a visit.
9 min read
Also useful
With us
What dementia care looks like in a Meallmore home
Dementia-trained colleagues, calm surroundings that are easy to navigate, secure gardens, and days shaped around each person's life story rather than their diagnosis. Several of our homes combine dementia care with 24-hour registered nursing.
Support beyond Meallmore
Organisations worth knowing about
- Alzheimer Scotland
24 hour freephone dementia helpline on 0808 808 3000, plus local support across Scotland.
- NHS inform - dementia
Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, written by NHS Scotland.
- Dementia UK
Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline for practical and emotional support.
- Care Information Scotland
How assessments, care at home and care home funding work in Scotland.
- Care Inspectorate
Inspection reports and grades for every registered care home.
Important - please read
Reviewed July 2026. Everything in this hub is general information only. It is not legal, financial or medical advice, and Meallmore cannot accept liability for decisions made on the basis of it.
- Always check your own position with a trained professional: your GP, memory clinic or healthcare team for anything health related, an independent regulated adviser for money, a solicitor for legal matters, and your local council for assessments and funding.
- In an emergency, or if someone's health is getting worse quickly, call 999. For urgent advice that is not an emergency, phone NHS 24 on 111. Please do not use these guides in place of medical help.
- Rates, thresholds and rules change each Scottish financial year, and councils apply their own local policies, so confirm current figures before relying on them.
None of this is a reason to put off asking for help. If you would like to talk something through with a team who do this every day, we are very happy to hear from you, and there is no obligation either way.
Talk it through with someone who understands
Our teams support families living with dementia every day. Ask us anything, whether or not you are ready to think about a care home.