helping people with dementia

Helping People with Dementia

Person centered care seeks to view the person with dementia as a whole and study how the person is influenced.

A person centered approach has following principles:

• Uniqueness

• Complexity

• Enabling

• Personhood

• Value of others

• Empowerment

Using person centered approach

• Person centred care is not a suitable method of care for a confused person because they cannot assess their own needs.

• Some aspects of person centred care would include comforting the client by talking, a gentle touch, maintaining eye contact, providing attention, validating their feelings, understanding their individual needs and making them feel important.

Using person centered approach

Individual needs

As dementia advances, bodily functions are lost and mobility becomes difficult. The needs of the client increases and they become dependent. Some of the individual needs includes:

• Mobility• Eating and drinking • Bathing• Hygiene • Dressing• Oral Health• Podiatry• Risk and safety• Encouragement• Acceptance• Validation

Work with awareness of the physical, social and emotional impact of dementia on a person:

1. Physical impact

2. Social impact

3. Emotional impact

Individual needs

1. Physical impact• Gradual decline in the physical health. • Memory loss, confusion and

disorientation. • Gradually, severe memory loss may be

apparent.• They may need assistance in performing

activities of daily living.

Physical Impact

2. Social Impact• Society rarely shows empathy towards

people with dementia. • They are isolated because they are old

and they forget things. • Lack of patience and understanding can

lead to discrimination.

Social Impact

3. Emotional impact• Feel ignored and hurt very easily. • May also cause mood disturbances and

depression.• May neglect aspect of their lives as they

do not know how to deal with

Emotional Impact

Dementia and other cultures

• Dementia sufferers from different cultures may:o have different understandings of dementiao have different beliefs of the causes of

dementiao feel stigma associated with dementia o present late for diagnosiso not know how to access appropriate

services

Services provided to the older people

Adult day care

Home health care

In- home respite

care

Government programs

• Adult day care: Provides supervision and social opportunities for people with dementia outside of the home for anywhere from a few hours to a whole day. Adult day care agencies normally do not offer overnight care. Many can provide personal care such as assistance with medication, toileting and eating. Meals are often included.


• In-Home respite care: Provides caregivers with a break while providing supervision and social engagement to people with dementia. Some respite providers are not licensed to provide personal care, but can provide socialisation and light meal preparation. These types of respite care providers are appropriate during early stages of dementia.


• Home health care: Provides medical care services such as injections, frequent blood pressure checks.


• Government programs: Several programs may be available to help meet the needs of people with dementia. For example, Meals on Wheels.


Services and referrals for clients with dementia

The person’s doctor can put you in contact with:

• Aged Care Assessment Team

• Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres

• Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres

• Counselling

Tips for effective communication skills

• Talk to the client as an adult and maintain their dignity.

• Do not use childlike language when speaking to them.

• Speak clearly and try to use a gently tone.

• Use person’s preferred name.


• When greeting a client help them by reminding them who you are, like Hello Jean, its carol here.

• Keep sentences short and simple. Never overload the client with too much information.

• Use body language - gestures, facial expressions and visual demonstrations.


• Use of touch to gain attention and convey feelings.

• Avoid use of very modern words, it may frustrate the client.

• Assess whether your client has special needs such as hearing or visual impairment that you should take into consideration.

HONESTYCarers should aim to be honest with clients, explaining clearly what they are doing and why, and giving clients the opportunity to express views or feelings.


EMPOWERMENTLet the client take small responsibilities. Look for strengths and skills in each client and empower them by encouraging them to use their skills. This will boost their confidence and give them a feeling of independence.


ENCOURAGEMENTAlways encourage the client to do as much as possible for themselves. Never try to bully or intimidate them. Allow them to use their skills like cooking, games, sewing etc. But always encourage them in a safe and risk-free environment.


AVOID LABELSTry not to label people as problems. Consider how it may affect their personality. Labeling someone as aggressive may make other carers nervous of them. Likewise labeling someone as a wanderer may result in others being over restrictive towards them.


ACCEPTANCERecognise all the skills the person with dementia still retains after focusing on the losses and accept them for the unique person they are.


PATIENCEAllow time for the patient to perform their activities. Wait for replies when talking, do not hurry them when walking and allow plenty of time to finish eating.


VALIDATIONValidation strategies involve the acceptance and confirming of the client’s feelings and own experience of reality. Pay attention to your clients facial expressions. This often helps reduce anxiety, distress and agitation and promotes a sense of security. It is important to let clients go back to the past and to validate their memories.


INCLUSIONAllow clients to participate as much as possible in the daily activities of the house. Folding clothes and linen, cooking and washing up may be arranged for those who enjoy household chores.


Empathy

Acceptance of the person's reality

Acknowledgment

Allowing expressions of distress

Providing verbal and/or physical reassurance

Use reminiscences frequently to connect with clients


IHNA offers qualifications in aged care, disability and nursing. Go to http://www.ihna.edu.au to kick start your health career.

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http://www.ihna.edu.au/courses/category/Health-Services/Certificate-IV-in-Disability

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helping people with dementia

Healthcare