DEMENTIA CARE
life, with 67% saying they’ve never received any guidance on how to interact with a person living with dementia.
We’ve also heard this from relatives who come through our doors, many of whom have no previous experience of care homes. When beginning their care journey, families are oſten very anxious and unsure what the future will now hold. Many are also unprepared for how dementia will affect their relative as the condition progresses, oſten believing that their loved one’s health will stabilise or even improve once they are living in a care setting. Sadly, due to the progressive nature of dementia, we know this is rarely the case.
Every person’s journey with dementia is unique, and it is important to remember as a family carer, a friend and indeed
as a care worker, that people living with dementia are generally doing the best they can in a world they may no longer recognise. Our goal is to help break down existing barriers to meaningful communication and ensure nothing stands in the way of families being together.
So, how can those of us working in the field of dementia care, support relatives to communicate meaningfully with their loved ones? I like to think there are three simple steps.
Firstly, become a curious colleague. Ask families about their relative with dementia. What were their likes, dislikes, interest and hobbies? Did they enjoy travel? Where did they work? All of these provide opportunities for families to connect with their loved one. Objects linked to these can provide opportunities for connection – and they do not always require verbal exchanges.
“Our goal is to help break down existing barriers to meaningful communication
and ensure nothing stands in the way of families being together.”
Did their loved one enjoy listening to music? We know that music can be a very powerful tool to help people with dementia remain connected in meaningful ways.
Music in particular can be a great alternative to medication when residents are distressed, which is why Care UK colleagues are encouraged to work with families to put together personalised playlists for their loved ones. These can also spark everyday conversations about residents’ favourite songs and oſten lead to a fair bit of karaoke in the homes.
Secondly, lead by example in your style of conversation with residents, and share your approaches with relatives. Keep sentences short, prioritise eye contact and emotive facial expressions, and use hand gestures where appropriate. This means someone living with dementia has any many cues as possible to respond to conversation, even if it takes a little while. Although we know it can be frustrating for families, patience in waiting for responses is key.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, encourage relatives to make more conversations failure-free. Remove your normal expectation of conversation. It’s not a ‘failure’ if a resident can’t recall the answer to their loved one’s question. Engagement is now the new measure of success. Trusting yourself to ‘live in the moment’ when supporting a loved one with dementia is the best approach – remember, feelings and togetherness can be more important than words.
The best thing we can all do is be patient and remember: your loved one is still a person you care about – they may just be seeing and understanding the world a bit differently than before.
To find out more about The Big Dementia Conversation, please visit the website below, where you can view our free advice hub, download our guide and look for a free information event near you throughout February and March.
www.careuk.com/bigdementiaconversation 29
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34
