HOW TO KEEP RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA SAFE
It’s estimated that 50 percent of assisted living residents have some form of dementia. Often unable to advocate for themselves, seniors with dementia are at increased risk of elder abuse, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse.
Though it is difficult to determine the prevalence of abuse among those with dementia, studies say the rate of mistreatment ranges anywhere from about 27 percent to 55 percent of those with the disease.
In an effort to help create a safe environment for those with memory loss, the Alzheimer’s Association has developed the 2018 Dementia Care Practice Recommendations. It features quality care practices based on a comprehensive review of current evidence, best practices, and expert opinion.
The recommendations were developed to better define quality care across all care settings and throughout the disease course. Some 56 practices are outlined across 10 content areas, grounded in the fundamentals of person-centered care.
The areas covered include: • Assessment and care planning; • Information, education, and support;
• Ongoing care for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia;
• Support of activities in daily living; • Staffing; • Supportive and therapeutic environments; and • Transitions and coordination of services.
Notably, the recommendations offer guidance to community- based and residential care providers on detection and diagnosis, and ongoing medical management—topic areas typically reserved for clinicians. Recommendations in these areas are written specifically for non-physician care providers and address what they can do to help promote person-centered dementia care.
“Person-centered care can lead to better outcomes,” said Sam Fazio, senior director of quality care and psychosocial research at the Alzheimer’s Association. He describes a person-centered approach as one that creates a caring relationship with the resident. This can help reduce medication use, resident anxiety, and staff turnover. “If the staff is supportive and happy, there is less opportunity for abuse,” he said.
In conjunction with the new recommendations, the Alzheimer’s Association has released a separate report that examines quality care through the eyes of people living with the disease: “A Guide to Quality Care from the Perspectives of People Living with Dementia.” It includes survey data and interviews from individuals living with the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementias. The guide also offers insights into how those most affected by the disease view quality care and what they want from care providers and caregivers during their difficult journey.
A free hotline for families and professional care providers is available 24/7 at 800-272-3900. The hotline receives more than 300,000 calls a year, and it is staffed by specialists and master's-level clinicians who offer information and referrals.
“If I feel passion about what I am doing and see value in taking care of people, that’s engagement,” said ABRC’s Olney. He added that only about one third of the workforce is actively engaged and passionate about their jobs. A small subset of the population, about one in 10 workers, are
actively disengaged and don’t care what they’re doing. “They are the ones likely to engage in elder abuse,” said Olney. “But if you can get people to engage in the workplace and with the people they are caring for, you’ll see a whole series of dividends.” The best approach is to create a collaborative process through
true leadership, said Olney. He added that too many executives micromanage workers or engage with them only when they make a mistake. “If you can coach, counsel, and be collabora- tive, employees will feel they have some control over what they do,” said Olney. He adds that it’s important for managers to make minor
1 IN 10 WORKERS are actively disengaged
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