Types of Dementia – Understanding Your Loved One's Condition
Whether your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, or frontotemporal dementia, our carers are trained to support the specific challenges of each condition, in the comfort of your own home.
Every type of dementia is different. The care your loved one needs depends on their specific diagnosis, how the condition affects them, and how it is likely to progress. Generic care plans are not enough.
- Alzheimer’s affects memory first, but other types of dementia can begin with personality changes, movement problems, or hallucinations
- Carers who understand the specific type of dementia can anticipate challenges, reduce distress, and provide more effective support
- At Tidal Living, every carer receives condition-specific training so your loved one gets care that matches their actual needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach
Why Condition-Specific Dementia Care Matters
When a family receives a dementia diagnosis, the first question is often ‘what happens now?’
The answer depends entirely on which type of dementia your loved one has. Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia each affect the brain differently, progress at different rates, and create different daily challenges.
At Tidal Living, we don’t believe in generic care plans. Our psychotherapist-led approach means we design care around the specific condition, the individual person, and their family’s circumstances.
Types of Dementia We Provide Specialist Care For
Every person living with dementia is unique.
Below are some of the most common types of dementia:
Vascular Dementia Care at Home
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often after strokes or mini-strokes. Unlike Alzheimer’s, it can progress in sudden steps rather than gradually, and it typically affects planning, judgement, and reasoning before memory. Your loved one may struggle to organise tasks, make decisions, or concentrate for extended periods.
Our carers provide structured daily routines that compensate for planning and decision-making difficulties. We work closely with your GP and pharmacy team to support cardiovascular health management, including medication routines that help reduce the risk of further strokes. Our home environment assessments focus on reducing fall risks and simplifying navigation around the home.
Lewy Body Dementia Home Care
Lewy body dementia is caused by protein deposits in the brain and often causes a distinctive combination of symptoms: fluctuating awareness (your loved one may seem alert one hour and confused the next), visual hallucinations, movement difficulties similar to Parkinson’s, and disrupted sleep patterns.
Our carers are trained to recognise and respond sensitively to hallucinations without causing additional distress. We adapt care timing to your loved one’s fluctuating awareness patterns, providing more support during confused periods and encouraging independence during clearer moments. We support safe mobility with falls prevention strategies and gentle movement routines.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) Care at Home
Frontotemporal dementia affects the parts of the brain that control personality, behaviour, and language. It can lead to significant changes in how your loved one behaves — they may become impulsive, lose social awareness, develop compulsive habits, or struggle to find words. FTD often begins at a younger age than other dementias, which brings additional challenges for families.
Our psychotherapist-led approach is particularly valuable for FTD, where behavioural changes can be the most challenging aspect for families. We help you understand that these changes are caused by the condition, not your loved one’s choice. Our carers use structured behavioural strategies, consistent boundaries, and meaningful activities adapted to your loved one’s preserved abilities. We also provide dedicated support for family carers managing the emotional impact of personality changes.
Alzheimer's Disease Care at Home
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, gradually affecting memory, recognition, and the ability to carry out familiar tasks. In the early stages, your loved one may repeat questions, misplace belongings, or struggle to follow conversations. As the condition progresses, they may need support with personal care, medication, and maintaining daily routines.
Our carers use gentle memory prompts, consistent daily structures, and Cognitive Stimulation Therapy activities to keep your loved one engaged and oriented. We support medication management through secure e-MAR records, and we guide family carers through each stage so you always know what to expect and how to respond.
Early-Onset Dementia (Younger-Onset)
Early-onset dementia, sometimes called younger-onset dementia, refers to any dementia diagnosis made before the age of 65. It affects an estimated 42,000 people in the UK and presents unique challenges that differ significantly from late-onset dementia.
Families dealing with early-onset dementia often face circumstances that standard care services are not designed for. The person diagnosed may still be working, may have dependent children, and may have a working spouse who cannot provide full-time care. The financial impact is immediate and severe; loss of income coincides with the need for specialist support.
Early-onset dementia symptoms can include memory lapses that disrupt work performance, difficulty with familiar tasks, confusion about time or place, problems with language or spatial awareness, and changes in mood or personality that family members notice before the person themselves. These signs of early-onset dementia are often initially attributed to stress, depression, or burnout, delaying diagnosis by months or years.
At Tidal Living, we offer support for clients in their 50s to early 60s with early-onset Alzheimer’s as well. Our psychotherapist-led approach is particularly valuable for younger clients, who often experience acute grief, frustration, and identity loss alongside cognitive decline. Our carers are trained to provide not just practical support but emotionally intelligent companionship that respects the person’s awareness of their own condition.
If your family member has received an early-onset dementia diagnosis, speak to our care team about how specialist live-in care or flexible home support can help maintain their quality of life, independence, and dignity.
From Diagnosis to Tailored Care Plan
When you receive a dementia diagnosis, the next step is understanding what support is needed now and what to plan for as the condition progresses. Our free home assessment covers: the specific symptoms and behaviours your loved one is experiencing, medication review and safety checks, home environment risks and adaptations needed, your needs and wellbeing as a family carer, and a recommendation for the most appropriate type and level of care.
Why Tidal Living
At Tidal Living, our unique strengths are:
Holistic, Psychotherapist-led Care
Our director personally oversees every aspect of care, from staff training to family communication to individual support, ensuring that nothing gets missed. Every care plan is guided by psychotherapy principles, giving emotional and mental wellbeing as much attention as practical tasks like medication administration, household routines, and health management.
Continuous supervision & reflective practice
Our director, Sabbir Ahmed (UKCP-registered psychotherapist), provides regular clinical supervision and training, and all carers take part in reflective practice groups. This reflection and supervision is linked with better person-centred care, higher quality of practice, crucial when supporting people and families living with dementia.
Data-driven healthtech & pharmacy expertise
Alongside human relationships, we use safe, GDPR-compliant technology to track patterns in wellbeing, medication and risk, led by a team with pharmacy and data-analytics expertise. Our co-director Umar Alvi is an MPharm graduate; at Tidal Living, we bring together clinical psychotherapy and pharmaceutical expertise.
Person-centred, relationship-focused approach
We match carers to clients based on personality, skills and interests, involving families in shaping each care plan. Our aim is to build warm, consistent relationships that facilitate personalised, meaningful activities for people living with dementia.
Here to Help, Supporting All Kinds of Dementia
Whatever type of dementia your loved one has been diagnosed with, we’re here to provide specialist support in the comfort of your home.
Sabbir Ahmed
UKCP Registered Psychotherapist
Founder & Director of Care
Umar Alvi
MPharm, MSc Data Science
Director of Technology & Innovation
Need support?
Talk to Us About Vascular, Lewy Body, or Frontotemporal Dementia Care
Our team can explain how we tailor home care to your loved one’s specific diagnosis. Book a free assessment today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia each affect the brain differently and create different daily challenges. At Tidal Living, every care plan is tailored to the specific type of dementia, the individual person, and their family’s needs.
Yes. All our carers complete condition-specific training under the supervision of our director, Sabbir Ahmed (UKCP-registered psychotherapist). This includes understanding how each type of dementia progresses, which behaviours to expect, and which care techniques are most effective.
Yes. Mixed dementia, where two or more types of dementia occur together, is common. Our psychotherapist-led assessment identifies which symptoms are most prominent and designs a care plan that addresses the full picture.
Yes. Our carers are trained to respond to visual hallucinations calmly and sensitively, without dismissing your loved one’s experience or causing additional distress. We work with your clinical team to ensure medication and care strategies are aligned.
We can often arrange care within a few days of your initial assessment. Call us on 0203 576 1970 or complete the form below to arrange a free home visit.
Compassionate Trusted Home Care in London (24/7)
Whether it’s a few hours of help each week or round-the-clock live-in care, our team focuses on what matters most: dignity, independence and genuine human connection.