Social support:

The term “social support” should be understood as referring to resources and/or services which are provided to carers and people with dementia to help them cope with the consequences of the disease on their daily lives. This could include psychological, social, physical and financial support, as well as various types of care such as palliative care, nursing care and respite care, and care facilities such as nursing homes and day care centres. The term is also used to refer to nursing care insofar as it relates to dementia e.g. dealing with bedsores, incontinence or taking tablets. We realise that the definition of social support may differ considerably from one country to the next but it is the definition which was used in the EuroCoDe survey upon which the recommendations in this document are based.

Carer

The term “carer” is used to refer to informal carers e.g. relatives and friends who take care of a person with dementia. Care is usually provided on a voluntary basis without payment although some carers might not feel that they actually had any choice in becoming a carer and some might receive some form of payment from the State for the care they provide. The term does not refer to professional carers such as doctors, nurses, social workers and home care workers etc.