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RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA

RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA. By Elly VanAlten, R.N. Regional Advocate, Classis AB. North Disability Concerns April 2009; revised February 2011. TYPES OF DEMENTIA . Alzheimers’ disease Vascular dementia Frontal lobe dementia Lewy body dementia

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RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA

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  1. RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA By Elly VanAlten, R.N. Regional Advocate, Classis AB. North Disability Concerns April 2009; revised February 2011

  2. TYPES OF DEMENTIA • Alzheimers’ disease • Vascular dementia • Frontal lobe dementia • Lewy body dementia • Dementia of Parkinson’s disease (PD), Muscular sclerosis (MS), Huntington’s disease (HD), Korsakoff’s disease

  3. WHAT HAPPENS • Permanent damage to brain cells • Eventual death of affected brain cells • Irreversible and progressive

  4. SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA • Memory deficits → first short-term → eventually long-term • Deficits in reasoning & judgment • Deficits in abstract thinking • Deficits in perception and sensation

  5. FACTORS THAT AFFECT ABILITY • Time of day • Physical condition • Environment • Approach used

  6. VERY IMPORTANT POINT! Always remember: they are doing the best that they can with what they have at that moment.

  7. ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT POINT: Even though their behaviour may be childlike, always remember that they are adults, and treat them as adults.

  8. OBJECTIVE FOR TODAY: Help you to see the PERSON with dementia rather than the person with DEMENTIA.

  9. LIVING WITH DEMENTIA “…like being on a spiritual, emotional, and physical journey into an unknown and uncertain future, a journey over which people have little or no control and which is characterized by loneliness.” From “Spiritual Care and Dementia: Pilgrims on a Journey” by Cathy Dakin

  10. LIVING WITH DEMENTIA Because so many people don’t understand about dementia, living with dementia can be very lonely, often leading to depression.

  11. LIVING WITH DEMENTIA Persons with dementia are often the victims of emotional and even physical abuse because the people in their life (including family members) don’t understand why they aren’t able to function the way they used to. The abuse is totally unintentional, and based solely on lack of understanding.

  12. MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WITH DEMENTIA: “There is no stage in this journey at which you must abandon all hope of connecting with me. You can minister to my spirit in song, prayer, ritual and by your spiritual presences alongside me.” Christine Bryden

  13. CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES Practicing: • Understanding • Respect • Compassion • Patience/gentleness • Flexibility/resourcefulness

  14. HOW CAN WE HELP? Persons with dementia: • Need to feel connected, known and accepted; • Need to feel respected and appreciated; • Need to love and be loved; • Need to sustain hope.

  15. WHAT WORKS • A kind and gentle approach; • Talking in clear, simple language (talking in mother tongue usually an advantage); • Have a sense of humor; • Allow them to be as independent as possible (ask if you can help); • Always maintain self-esteem; • Sit with them at their level/face to face.

  16. WHAT TO DO Anything that involves reminiscing about the past! They aren’t able to be in our reality, so we need to be in theirs, and the past is the only thing they can remember.

  17. WHAT TO DO Anything involving (well-behaved) children if they love children. Anything involving (well-behaved) pets if they love animals.

  18. EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO DO • Looking at photo (life) album or the contents of a memory box; • Listening to favourite music or singing songs/hymns together; • Reading Bible (stories) and prayer; • Sharing tea/coffee; • Looking at picture books; • Going outside for a walk or drive.

  19. WHAT DOESN’T WORK • Asking them to recall recent events; • Scolding them for not remembering activities, events, persons or things; • Trying to do something with them that is unfamiliar; • REALITY ORIENTATION! Remember – they can’t be in our reality; we must be in theirs!

  20. THE JOURNEY OF DEMENTIA It can be a lonely and hopeless journey. It doesn’t take much to make a difference in the journey for someone with dementia. D.C. is all about being pilgrims on such journeys together.

  21. BLESSINGS FOR THE JOURNEY May God bless you as you journey with those who have dementia!

  22. References: • “Supportive Pathways”; Bethany Group; Calgary, AB.; 2001 • “Spiritual care and Dementia: Pilgrims on a Journey”; Cathy Dakin; Journal of Dementia Care (17:1) Jan./Feb. 2009

  23. SENILITY PRAYER God grant me……. The senility to forget the people I never liked, The good fortune to run into the ones that I do, And the insight to tell the difference.

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